Horror is thriving all around the world, and in the last decade, international filmmakers have pushed the genre into terrifying new territory. From psychological terror in South Korea to brutal exorcisms in Latin America, these recent foreign horror films are some of the most disturbing, original, and unforgettable entries in modern horror.
Here are 10 of the scariest recent foreign horror movies that every horror fan should have on their radar.
1. The Wailing (2016) – South Korea
Director: Na Hong-jin
Why It’s Scary: A mysterious illness spreads through a rural village. Demons? Disease? Nothing is what it seems. Haunting, atmospheric, and emotionally devastating.
Where to Watch: Prime Video, Shudder
2. His House (2020) – UK/Sudan
Director: Remi Weekes
Why It’s Scary: A refugee couple from South Sudan struggles to adapt to life in England — but the house they’ve been given hides an ancient evil. Blends trauma, guilt, and ghost horror brilliantly.
Where to Watch: Netflix
3. Terrified (Aterrados) (2017) – Argentina
Director: Demián Rugna
Why It’s Scary: A neighborhood in Buenos Aires becomes ground zero for unexplainable and terrifying phenomena. Pure nightmare fuel.
Where to Watch: Shudder
4. Satan’s Slaves (2017) – Indonesia
Director: Joko Anwar
Why It’s Scary: A remake of a 1980s Indonesian classic, this version is loaded with atmosphere, supernatural horror, and chilling family secrets.
Where to Watch: Shudder
5. La Llorona (2019) – Guatemala
Director: Jayro Bustamante
Why It’s Scary: This isn’t the Hollywood version — this is a slow-burn political ghost story steeped in historical trauma and reckoning with genocide.
Where to Watch: Shudder
6. Attachment (2022) – Denmark
Director: Gabriel Bier Gislason
Why It’s Scary: A romantic story turns deeply unsettling when Jewish mysticism, demonic possessions, and motherly obsession collide in Copenhagen.
Where to Watch: Shudder
7. Hellhole (2022) – Poland
Director: Bartosz M. Kowalski
Why It’s Scary: A priest investigates mysterious deaths in a remote monastery, only to uncover something horrifying beneath. A grim, twisty descent into religious horror.
Where to Watch: Netflix
8. The Medium (2021) – Thailand/South Korea
Director: Banjong Pisanthanakun
Why It’s Scary: Told in mockumentary style, this film dives into Thai shamanism and possession. It slowly builds into full-blown terror that’s hard to shake.
Where to Watch: Shudder
9. Piggy (2022) – Spain
Director: Carlota Pereda
Why It’s Scary: A bullied teen becomes a witness to a gruesome kidnapping — and then has to decide what to do. It’s part slasher, part psychological horror, all unsettling.
Where to Watch: Hulu
10. When Evil Lurks (2023) – Argentina
Director: Demián Rugna
Why It’s Scary: A uniquely terrifying twist on demonic possession, with violence and despair that feel raw and real. A game-changer for possession horror.
Where to Watch: Shudder
Final Thoughts
Foreign horror is where true innovation lives. These recent releases explore fear in ways that are culturally specific, emotionally resonant, and genuinely spine-tingling. If you’ve grown numb to Hollywood’s jump scares and remakes, these international gems will reignite your love for real horror.
💀 Warning: Some of these films are extremely disturbing — emotionally, visually, and psychologically. Watch with caution.