Historical films take us into the past, but in different ways: some recreate real events and people, others tell a fictional story against a real backdrop. We have gathered 12 films that span almost two millennia, from the Roman Empire in 180 AD to the Manhattan Project, and arranged them by era rather than by release year. Among them are the Ukrainian film Dovbush, about the Carpathian opryshky, and Mr. Jones, a co-production involving Ukraine, about the Holodomor. Each film comes with the year, director, runtime, a one-line note on the era and a reason to watch. No spoilers: only the setup. The facts come from Wikipedia pages checked on October 21, 2026. We do not list age ratings: they differ between countries and services, so check the rating on the film’s page before watching.
Gladiator
Official trailer · “Gladiator” (2000)Era: the Roman Empire, 180 AD. Gladiator is the story of Maximus (Russell Crowe), a fictional Roman general betrayed by Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), who murders his father, Emperor Marcus Aurelius, and seizes the throne. Reduced to slavery, Maximus becomes a gladiator and fights his way up in the arena. The film won five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor. Why watch: a large-scale spectacle in which a fictional hero ends up alongside real emperors.
Braveheart
Official trailer · “Braveheart” (1995)Era: late 13th-century Scotland, the First War of Scottish Independence. Braveheart is an epic war drama in which Mel Gibson, as director and lead actor, tells the story of the Scottish warrior William Wallace. The plot is inspired by an epic poem about Wallace written in the 15th century by the poet Blind Harry. The film won five Oscars out of ten nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director, although it was criticized for its historical inaccuracies. Why watch: large-scale battles and a legend about the fight for freedom.
Dovbush
Official trailer in Ukrainian · “Dovbush” (2023)Era: the Carpathians in the early 18th century, the opryshky movement. Dovbush is a Ukrainian historical adventure film about Oleksa Dovbush, whom Wikipedia calls the most famous of the opryshky leaders. The brothers Oleksa and Ivan Dovbush become opryshky and gradually end up on opposite sides: one wants money, the other wants justice. Oles Sanin consulted historians but combined different legends in the plot. The premiere, planned for May 2022, was canceled because of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and the film was released on August 24, 2023. Why watch: one of the most expensive Ukrainian films, based on a folk legend.
12 Years a Slave
Official trailer · “12 Years a Slave” (2013)Era: the US in 1841–1853, slavery before the Civil War. 12 Years a Slave is based on Solomon Northup’s 1853 memoir. In 1841 a free African American violinist from New York State is kidnapped in Washington by con men and sold into slavery on Louisiana plantations. Northup is played by Chiwetel Ejiofor, and the film was shot on four historic plantations. It won three Oscars, including Best Picture, and Steve McQueen became the first Black director of a Best Picture winner. Why watch: a story written down by its own hero.
The Last Samurai
Official trailer · “The Last Samurai” (2003)Era: Japan in the 1870s, after the Meiji Restoration. The plot of The Last Samurai is inspired by the Satsuma Rebellion of 1877 and the Westernization of Japan. Former US Army captain Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise) arrives to train the new Imperial Army, which is meant to put down a samurai rebellion, and comes face to face with the samurai’s world. The cast also includes Ken Watanabe. The film received four Oscar nominations. Why watch: a clash of two cultures at a turning point between eras.
Titanic
Official trailer · “Titanic” (1997)Era: 1912, the maiden voyage of the liner Titanic. Titanic combines the real story of the disaster with a fictional plot: Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet play young people from different social classes who fall in love on board. For the film, Cameron shot footage of the actual wreck, while the sinking itself was recreated with models, computer graphics and a reconstruction of the ship. The film won 11 Oscars out of 14 nominations, tying the records on both counts. Why watch: a classic in which a melodrama and a historical disaster go hand in hand.
Lawrence of Arabia
Official trailer · “Lawrence of Arabia” (1962)Era: the First World War, the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire. Lawrence of Arabia is a biographical epic about the British officer T. E. Lawrence (Peter O’Toole), based on his 1926 book Seven Pillars of Wisdom. The film shows his battles in the Ottoman provinces of Hejaz and Syria and his inner struggle between loyalty to Britain and his new comrades from the Arab tribes. It won seven Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director. Why watch: Wikipedia says it is widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made.
1917
Official trailer · “1917” (2019)Era: the First World War, the Western Front, April 1917. 1917 is a war drama by Sam Mendes, partly inspired by his grandfather’s accounts of serving in that war. Two young British soldiers must deliver an order that is meant to call off a doomed attack. Cinematographer Roger Deakins and editor Lee Smith made the whole film look like two continuous shots. It won three Oscars: for cinematography, sound mixing and visual effects. Why watch: you feel as if you are walking alongside the characters from the first minute to the last.
Mr. Jones
Official trailer · “Mr. Jones” (2019)Era: 1933, the Holodomor in Ukraine. Mr. Jones is a biographical thriller about the Welsh journalist Gareth Jones (James Norton), who travels to the Soviet Union and uncovers the truth about the famine that killed millions in the Ukrainian SSR. It is a co-production of Poland, Ukraine and the United Kingdom, written by Andrea Chalupa. The film competed for the Golden Bear at the Berlinale and was released in Ukraine on November 28, 2019; Wikipedia notes that there were objections to some of its historical details. Why watch: the story of a journalist who, according to Ukrainian Wikipedia, was the first to write about the Holodomor in the Western press under his own name.
Schindler’s List
Official trailer · “Schindler’s List” (1993)Era: the Second World War, the Holocaust in occupied Kraków. Schindler’s List is based on Thomas Keneally’s 1982 historical novel. German industrialist Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson) comes to Kraków to make a fortune and eventually saves more than a thousand Jews, mostly Polish, by employing them in his factories. Spielberg shot the film in Kraków and made it in black and white, bringing it closer to a documentary. It won seven Oscars, including Best Picture. Why watch: according to Wikipedia, it is often listed among the greatest films ever made; it takes strength to watch, because the subject is very heavy.
Dunkirk
Official trailer · “Dunkirk” (2017)Era: the Second World War, the Dunkirk evacuation of 1940. Dunkirk shows the evacuation of Allied troops from the French coast from three sides: on land, at sea and in the air. There is little dialogue: Nolan builds tension through images and music, and the film was shot on IMAX 65 mm film, with thousands of extras, historic boats that took part in the evacuation and aircraft of the period. It won three Oscars: for film editing, sound editing and sound mixing. Why watch: the shortest war film in the selection, only 106 minutes.
Oppenheimer
Official trailer · “Oppenheimer” (2023)Era: the 1930s–1950s, the Manhattan Project and the first nuclear weapons. Oppenheimer is a biographical thriller about the physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy), who led the Los Alamos Laboratory. It is based on the biography American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin: the film covers his studies, the work on the bomb and the 1954 hearing on his security clearance. It won seven Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Murphy) and Best Supporting Actor (Robert Downey Jr.). Why watch: a story of science and politics behind the scenes of the Second World War.
How we chose
We took films that are already out and have detailed Wikipedia pages, and tried to cover different eras, from ancient Rome to the middle of the 20th century. Some of the films recreate real people and events, others tell fictional stories against a historical backdrop, like Gladiator or Titanic; we are upfront about known inaccuracies. There are no films in the selection that glorify imperial or Soviet myths. This is not a ranking: we do not invent our own ratings, and we take English titles from English Wikipedia.
What to choose by mood
| What you want | What to pick |
|---|---|
| The ancient world and the Middle Ages | Gladiator, Braveheart |
| Ukrainian history | Dovbush, Mr. Jones |
| The 19th century | 12 Years a Slave, The Last Samurai |
| The First World War | Lawrence of Arabia, 1917 |
| The Second World War | Schindler’s List, Dunkirk, Oppenheimer |
| Love against the backdrop of a real disaster | Titanic |
Real rescue stories are collected in our selection of survival movies, and real space missions among our space movies.
Tip. The longest films in the selection are Lawrence of Arabia (222 minutes), Schindler’s List and Titanic (195 minutes each). For a weeknight, Dunkirk (106 minutes) or 1917 (119 minutes) is a better fit.
Frequently asked questions
Which of these films are based on real events?
Lawrence of Arabia, 12 Years a Slave, Mr. Jones, Schindler’s List, Dunkirk and Oppenheimer tell the stories of real people and events. Braveheart and Dovbush draw on figures known from poems and legends, while Gladiator, The Last Samurai, Titanic and 1917 combine a historical backdrop with fictional characters.
Are there Ukrainian films in the selection?
Yes. Dovbush (2023) is a Ukrainian film about Oleksa Dovbush, and Mr. Jones (2019) is a co-production of Poland, Ukraine and the United Kingdom about the Holodomor of 1933.
What should I watch about the First World War?
1917, about two British soldiers on the Western Front, and Lawrence of Arabia, about the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire.
Where can I watch these films?
Streaming catalogs change, so we do not list them. Check the page of the film you want on a service available to you.
Sources
- Lawrence of Arabia (film) (Wikipedia)
- Schindler’s List (Wikipedia)
- Mr. Jones (2019 film) (Wikipedia)
- Dovbush (film) (Wikipedia)
- Oppenheimer (film) (Wikipedia)
Data was checked against Wikipedia on October 21, 2026.
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