List of historical drama films of Asia

The historical drama is a film genre in which stories are based upon historical events and famous persons. Some historical dramas attempt to accurately portray a historical event or biography

Biography

A biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...

, to the degree that the available historical research will allow. Other historical dramas are fictionalized tales that are based on an actual person and their deeds.

Due to the sheer volume of films included in this genre and in the interest of continuity, this list is primarily focused on films pertaining to the history of East Asia

East Asia

East Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...

, Central Asia

Central Asia

Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...

, and India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

. For films pertaining to the history of Near East

Near East

The Near East is a geographical term that covers different countries for geographers, archeologists, and historians, on the one hand, and for political scientists, economists, and journalists, on the other...

ern and Western civilization, please refer to the list of historical drama films.

The films on this page are divided into regions, and within each region the films are listed chronologically by subject matter.

Afghanistani history

The Beast (1988), set in 1981 during the Soviet war in Afghanistan
Soviet war in Afghanistan
The Soviet war in Afghanistan was a nine-year conflict involving the Soviet Union, supporting the Marxist-Leninist government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan against the Afghan Mujahideen and foreign "Arab–Afghan" volunteers...

.

Chinese history

Sortable table
Title	Release date	Time period	Notes on setting
The Last Woman of Shang	1964	1075-1046 BC	a Shaw Brothers film about Daji Daji Daji was a favorite concubine of King Zhou of Shang, the last king of the Shang Dynasty in ancient China. She is a classic example of how a beauty causes the downfall of an empire/dynasty in Chinese culture... , the concubine of King Zhou of Shang King Zhou of Shang Emperor Xin of Shang was the last king of the Shang Dynasty. He was later given the pejorative posthumous name Zhòu . He is also called Zhou Xin or King Zhou . He may also be referred to by adding "Shang" in front of any of his names... (r. 1075-1046 BC).
Confucius Confucius (1940 film) Confucius is a 1940 Chinese film directed by Fei Mu. Produced during the war, the film was released twice in the 1940s before being thought lost. In 2001, the film was rediscovered when an anonymous donor sent a damaged copy of the print to the Hong Kong Film Archive...	1940	551-479 BC	thought to be a lost film, but was rediscovered in 2001 and restored.
Confucius	2010	551-479 BC	starring Chow Yun-fat Chow Yun-Fat Chow Yun-fat, SBS is an actor from Hong Kong. He is best known in Asia for his collaboration with filmmaker John Woo in heroic bloodshed genre films A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, and Hard Boiled; and to the West for his role as Li Mu-bai in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon... as Confucius Confucius Confucius , literally "Master Kong", was a Chinese thinker and social philosopher of the Spring and Autumn Period.... (551-479 BC).
A Battle of Wits A Battle of Wits (2006 film) A Battle of Wits is a 2006 Hong Kong film based on a Japanese historical novel, written by Ken'ichi Sakemi. A manga series was written by Hideki Mori, also based on the novel. Directed by Jacob Cheung, the film starred Andy Lau, Ahn Sung-ki, Wang Zhiwen, Fan Bingbing, Nicky Wu and Choi Siwon...	2006	375-369 BC	set during the reign of Lie of Zhou (r. 375-369 BC).
The Emperor's Shadow The Emperor's Shadow The Emperor's Shadow is a 1996 Chinese historical film directed by Zhou Xiaowen and starring Jiang Wen, Ge You, Xu Qing and Ge Zhijun. It was the most expensive Chinese film produced at the time of its release.-Plot:...	1996	259-210 BC	about the troubled friendship between Qin Shi Huang Qin Shi Huang Qin Shi Huang , personal name Ying Zheng , was king of the Chinese State of Qin from 246 BC to 221 BC during the Warring States Period. He became the first emperor of a unified China in 221 BC... (r. 259-210 BC) and the musician Gao Jianli Gao Jianli Gao Jianli was a citizen of Yan, a Chinese state during the Warring States Period, and a player of the zhu . After Jing Ke was killed in his assassination attempt on Qin Shi Huang, Gao changed his name and became an assistant in a wine shop as Qin Shi Huang retaliated against all friends of Jing Ke... .
The Emperor and the Assassin The Emperor and the Assassin The Emperor and the Assassin, also known as The First Emperor, is a 1998 Chinese historical romance film based primarily on Jing Ke's assassination attempt on the King of Qin, as described in Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian. The film was directed by Chen Kaige and stars Gong Li, Zhang...	1998	227 BC	based on the assassination attempt made by Jing Ke Jing Ke Jing Ke was a guest residing in the estates of Dan, crown prince of Yan and renowned for his failed assassination attempt of Ying Zheng, King of Qin state, who later became China's first emperor... on Qin Shi Huang Qin Shi Huang Qin Shi Huang , personal name Ying Zheng , was king of the Chinese State of Qin from 246 BC to 221 BC during the Warring States Period. He became the first emperor of a unified China in 221 BC... in 227 BC.
Hero Hero (2002 film) Hero is a 2002 wuxia film directed by Zhang Yimou. Starring Jet Li as the nameless protagonist, the film is based on the story of Jing Ke's assassination attempt on the King of Qin in 227 BC....	2002	3rd c. BC	starring Jet Li Jet Li The fame gained by his sports winnings led to a career as a martial arts film star, beginning in mainland China and then continuing into Hong Kong. Li acquired his screen name in 1982 in the Philippines when a publicity company thought his real name was too hard to pronounce... , set in ancient China during the 3rd century BC and is partly based on the story of Jing Ke Jing Ke Jing Ke was a guest residing in the estates of Dan, crown prince of Yan and renowned for his failed assassination attempt of Ying Zheng, King of Qin state, who later became China's first emperor... .
The Great Conqueror's Concubine The Great Conqueror's Concubine The Great Conqueror's Concubine, alternatively known as King of Western Chu, is a historical drama film directed by Stephen Shin and Wei Handao, starring Ray Lui, Rosamund Kwan, Zhang Fengyi and Gong Li...	1994	206-202 BC	set during the Chu-Han contention Chu-Han contention The Chu–Han Contention was a post-Qin Dynasty interregnum period in Chinese history. Following the collapse of the Qin Dynasty, Xiang Yu split the former Qin Empire into the Eighteen Kingdoms. Two prominent contending powers, Western Chu and Han, emerged from these principalities and engaged in a... in China (206-202 BC).
Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon is a 2008 Hong Kong film loosely based on parts of the Chinese classical novel Romance of Three Kingdoms. It was directed by Daniel Lee with a reported budget of US$25 million...	2008	ca. 200-230	Hong Kong Cinema of Hong Kong The cinema of Hong Kong is one of the three major threads in the history of Chinese language cinema, alongside the cinema of China, and the cinema of Taiwan... martial arts Martial arts film Martial arts film is a film genre. A sub-genre of the action film, martial arts films contain numerous fights between characters, usually as the films' primary appeal and entertainment value, and often as a method of storytelling and character expression and development. Martial arts are frequently... action Action film Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases... drama film Drama film A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women... on Zhao Yun Zhao Yun Zhao Yun was a military general who lived during the late Han Dynasty and early Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. For most of his career, Zhao served the warlord Liu Bei, playing a part in the establishment of state of Shu Han... , loosely based on parts of the classical Four Great Classical Novels The Four Great Classical Novels, or the Four Major Classical Novels of Chinese literature, are the four novels commonly regarded by scholars to be the greatest and most influential of pre-modern Chinese fiction. Dating from the Ming and Qing dynasties, they are well known to most Chinese readers... Chinese novel Romance of Three Kingdoms (~200-230)
Red Cliff	2008	208-209	epic Chinese film about the Battle of Red Cliffs Battle of Red Cliffs The Battle of Red Cliffs, otherwise known as the Battle of Chibi, was a decisive battle at the end of the Han Dynasty, immediately prior to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. It was fought in the winter of 208/9 AD between the allied forces of the southern warlords Liu Bei and Sun Quan... in the winter of AD 208/209.
Sui Tang Ying Xiong Zhuan	2004	604-618	42-episode series set during the reign of Emperor Yang of Sui Emperor Yang of Sui Emperor Yang of Sui , personal name Yang Guang , alternative name Ying , nickname Amo , known as Emperor Ming during the brief reign of his grandson Yang Tong), was the second son of Emperor Wen of Sui, and the second emperor of China's Sui Dynasty.Emperor Yang's original name was Yang Ying, but... (r. AD 604-618).
The Legendary Warrior	2006	624-649	32-episode series set during the reign of Emperor Taizong of Tang Emperor Taizong of Tang Emperor Taizong of Tang , personal name Lǐ Shìmín , was the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling from 626 to 649... (r. AD 624-649).
Judge Dee and the Monastery Murders	1974	7th c. AD	American-made film set in a Taoist Taoism Taoism refers to a philosophical or religious tradition in which the basic concept is to establish harmony with the Tao , which is the mechanism of everything that exists... monastery in the 7th century.
Temptation of a Monk Temptation of a Monk Temptation of A Monk is a 1993 Chinese language film starring Joan Chen and directed by Clara Law.-External links:*... ’’	1993	7th c. AD	set during the 7th century.
Warriors of Heaven and Earth Warriors of Heaven and Earth Warriors of Heaven and Earth is a 2003 Chinese action adventure film directed by He Ping. The film's notable cinematography captures a wide range of landscapes across China's Xinjiang province...	2003	700	set in the year AD 700.
The Conquest The Conquest For the events leading up to the acquisition of New France by Britain known as The Conquest , see Conquest of 1760.The Conquest is a television series based on the conflict between the Wu state and Yue state during the Spring and Autumn Period of Chinese history...	2006-7	771-221 BC	42-episode series dramatizing the conflict between the competing states of Wu Wu (state) The State of Wu , also known as Gou Wu or Gong Wu , was one of the vassal states during the Western Zhou Dynasty and the Spring and Autumn Period. The State of Wu was located at the mouth of the Yangtze River east of the State of Chu. Considered a semi-barbarian state by ancient Chinese... and Yue Yue (state) Yue was a state in China which existed during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period , in the modern province of Zhejiang. During the Spring and Autumn Period, its capital was in Guiji , near the modern city of Shaoxing... during China’s Spring and Autumn / Warring States Period]] (771-221 BC).
House of Flying Daggers House of Flying Daggers House of Flying Daggers is a 2004 wuxia film directed by Zhang Yimou. It differs from other wuxia films in that it is more of a love story than a straight martial arts film....	2004	859	action-romance film set in AD 859.
The Silk Road The Silk Road aka Dun-Huang is a 1988 Japanese film directed by Junya Sato. The movie was adapted from the 1959 novel Tun-Huang by Yasushi Inoue with the backdrop of the plotline being the Mogao Caves manuscript trove...	1988	1026	award-winning Japanese-made film set in western China in AD 1026.
Mongol Mongol (film) Mongol is a 2007 semi-historical film directed by Sergei Bodrov. The storyline was conceived from a screenplay written by Bodrov and Arif Aliev. Producers for the film comprised Bodrov, Sergei Selyanov and Anton Melnik. The film is based on the early life of Temüjin, who later came to be known as...	2007	ca. 1162-1206	about the earlier half of Genghis Khan Genghis Khan Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death.... ’s life, up to 1206.
Genghis Khan Genghis Khan (1965 film) Genghis Khan is a 1965 film depicting the life and conquests of the Mongol emperor Genghis Khan. It was released in the United Kingdom and the United States in 1965 by Columbia Pictures, and was directed by Henry Levin, and starred Omar Sharif, who that same year starred in another epic, Doctor...	1965	ca. 1206-1227	English-language film starring Omar Sharif Omar Sharif Omar Sharif is an Egyptian actor who has starred in Hollywood films including Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago and Funny Girl. He has been nominated for an Academy Award and has won two Golden Globe Awards.-Early life:... as Genghis Khan Genghis Khan Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death.... .
Genghis Khan: To the Ends of the Earth and Sea Genghis Khan: To the Ends of the Earth and Sea is a 2007 Japanese - Mongolian historical drama film depicting the life of Genghis Khan.-Cast:Takashi Sorimachi as Temüjin/Genghis KhanRei Kikukawa as BörteMayumi Wakamura as HoelunKenichi Matsuyama as JochiYoshihiko Hakamada as HasarGo Ara as Khulan...	2007	1162-1227	about the life of Genghis Khan Genghis Khan Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death.... (1162–1227).
The Golden Horde The Golden Horde (film) The Golden Horde is a 1951 Historical Adventure film directed by George Sherman and starring Ann Blyth and David Farrar. Many of the exterior scenes were shot in Death Valley National Park, California, USA.-Plot synopsis:...	1951	1220	English-language film about an English knight who leads the defense of Samarkand Samarkand Although a Persian-speaking region, it was not united politically with Iran most of the times between the disintegration of the Seleucid Empire and the Arab conquest . In the 6th century it was within the domain of the Turkic kingdom of the Göktürks.At the start of the 8th century Samarkand came... against Genghis Khan Genghis Khan Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death.... in 1220.
Marco Polo	1982	1254–1325	miniseries about the Venetian explorer who traveled to China and served in the court of Kublai Khan Kublai Khan Kublai Khan , born Kublai and also known by the temple name Shizu , was the fifth Great Khan of the Mongol Empire from 1260 to 1294 and the founder of the Yuan Dynasty in China... in the late 13th century.
14 Blades 14 Blades 14 Blades is a 2010 wuxia film directed by Daniel Lee and starring Donnie Yen, Zhao Wei, Wu Chun, Kate Tsui and Qi Yuwu. The film was released on February 4 in China and February 11 in Hong Kong...	2010	16th-17th c.	a film about the Jinyi Wei Jinyi Wei The Jinyi Wei was the imperial military secret police of the Chinese emperors of the Ming Dynasty and were bound to serving the emperor only. The Jinyi Wei was founded by the Hongwu Emperor in 1368 to serve as his personal bodyguards and it developed into a military organization the following year... during the late Ming Dynasty Ming Dynasty The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic... .
The Warlords The Warlords The Warlords, previously known as The Blood Brothers, is a 2007 epic war film directed by Peter Chan and starring Jet Li, Andy Lau, Takeshi Kaneshiro and Xu Jinglei. The film was released on December 13, 2007 simultaneously in most of Asia, except Japan...	2007	1850-1864	set during China’s Taiping Rebellion Taiping Rebellion The Taiping Rebellion was a widespread civil war in southern China from 1850 to 1864, led by heterodox Christian convert Hong Xiuquan, who, having received visions, maintained that he was the younger brother of Jesus Christ, against the ruling Manchu-led Qing Dynasty... (1850–1864).
55 Days at Peking 55 Days at Peking 55 Days at Peking is a 1963 historical epic film starring Charlton Heston, Ava Gardner, and David Niven, made by Samuel Bronston Productions, and released by Allied Artists. The movie was produced by Samuel Bronston and directed by Nicholas Ray, Andrew Marton , and Guy Green...	1963	1900	starring Charlton Heston Charlton Heston Charlton Heston was an American actor of film, theatre and television. Heston is known for heroic roles in films such as The Ten Commandments, Ben-Hur for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor, El Cid, and Planet of the Apes... , Ava Gardner Ava Gardner Ava Lavinia Gardner was an American actress.She was signed to a contract by MGM Studios in 1941 and appeared mainly in small roles until she drew attention with her performance in The Killers . She became one of Hollywood's leading actresses, considered one of the most beautiful women of her day... and David Niven David Niven James David Graham Niven , known as David Niven, was a British actor and novelist, best known for his roles as Phileas Fogg in Around the World in 80 Days and Sir Charles Lytton, a.k.a. "the Phantom", in The Pink Panther... and set in 1900 during the Chinese Boxer Rebellion Boxer Rebellion The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between... .
Bodyguards and Assassins Bodyguards and Assassins Bodyguards and Assassins is a 2009 Hong Kong film directed by Teddy Chan, featuring an all-star cast, including Donnie Yen, Nicholas Tse, Tony Leung Ka-fai, Leon Lai, Wang Xueqi, Simon Yam, Hu Jun, Eric Tsang and Fan Bingbing.-Plot:...	2009	1910s	set in British ruled Hong Kong near the end of Qing Dynasty Qing Dynasty The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China.... . The events in the film led to the Wuchang Uprising Wuchang Uprising The Wuchang Uprising began with the dissatisfaction of the handling of a railway crisis. The crisis then escalated to an uprising where the revolutionaries went up against Qing government officials. The uprising was then assisted by the New Army in a coup against their own authorities in the city... .
The Last Emperor The Last Emperor The Last Emperor is a 1987 biopic about the life of Puyi, the last Emperor of China, whose autobiography was the basis for the screenplay written by Mark Peploe and Bernardo Bertolucci. Independently produced by Jeremy Thomas, it was directed by Bertolucci and released in 1987 by Columbia Pictures...	1987	1906–1967	Academy Award Academy Award for Best Picture The Academy Award for Best Picture is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to artists working in the motion picture industry. The Best Picture category is the only category in which every member of the Academy is eligible not only... winning film about Puyi Puyi Puyi , of the Manchu Aisin Gioro clan, was the last Emperor of China, and the twelfth and final ruler of the Qing Dynasty. He ruled as the Xuantong Emperor from 1908 until his abdication on 12 February 1912. From 1 to 12 July 1917 he was briefly restored to the throne as a nominal emperor by the... (1906–1967), China’s last emperor.
The Founding of a Party The Founding of a Party The Founding of a Party, alternatively titled in English Beginning of the Great Revival for its international release, is a Chinese film released in 2011 to mark the 90th anniversary of the Communist Party of China...	2011	1921	a film about the formation of Communist Party of China in 1921
City of Life and Death	2009	1937	a film dealing with the Battle of Nanjing Battle of Nanjing The Battle of Nanking began after the fall of Shanghai on October 9, 1937, and ended with the fall of the capital city of Nanking on December 13, 1937 to Japanese troops, a few days after the Republic of China Government had evacuated the city and relocated to Wuhan... and its aftermath, the "Nanking Massacre Nanking Massacre The Nanking Massacre or Nanjing Massacre, also known as the Rape of Nanking, was a mass murder, genocide and war rape that occurred during the six-week period following the Japanese capture of the city of Nanjing , the former capital of the Republic of China, on December 13, 1937 during the Second... ", during the Second Sino-Japanese War Second Sino-Japanese War The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States... .
John Rabe John Rabe John Rabe was a German businessman who is best known for his efforts to stop the atrocities of the Japanese army during the Nanking Occupation and his work to protect and help the Chinese civilians during the event...	2009	1937	a film about the Nanking Massacre Nanking Massacre The Nanking Massacre or Nanjing Massacre, also known as the Rape of Nanking, was a mass murder, genocide and war rape that occurred during the six-week period following the Japanese capture of the city of Nanjing , the former capital of the Republic of China, on December 13, 1937 during the Second...
The Founding of a Republic The Founding of a Republic The Founding of a Republic is a 2009 Chinese historical film commissioned by China's film regulator and made by the state-owned China Film Group to mark the 60th anniversary of the People's Republic of China...	2009	1949	a film about the founding of The People's Republic of China.
Kundun Kundun Kundun is a 1997 epic biographical film written by Melissa Mathison and directed by Martin Scorsese. It is based on the life and writings of the 14th Dalai Lama, the exiled political and spiritual leader of Tibet...	1997	1950	a film depicting the early life of the 14th Dalai Lama 14th Dalai Lama The 14th Dalai Lama is the 14th and current Dalai Lama. Dalai Lamas are the most influential figures in the Gelugpa lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, although the 14th has consolidated control over the other lineages in recent years... and the 1950 invasion of Tibet and subsequent events.
Seven Years in Tibet Seven Years in Tibet (1997 film) Seven Years in Tibet is a 1997 film based on the book of the same name written by Austrian mountaineer Heinrich Harrer on his experiences in Tibet between 1944 and 1951 during the Second World War, the interim period, and the Chinese People's Liberation Army's invasion of Tibet in 1950. The film...	1997	1955-1951	a film about the Austrian mountaineer Heinrich Harrer Heinrich Harrer Heinrich Harrer was an Austrian mountaineer, sportsman, geographer, and author.He is best known for his books Seven Years in Tibet and The White Spider .-Athletics:... and his experiences in the region of Tibet Tibet Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people... between 1944 and 1951.
The Red Violin	1998	1966	one sequence of the film takes place in 1960s Shanghai during the Cultural Revolution Cultural Revolution The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976... .
Aftershock Aftershock (film) Aftershock or Aftershocks, named in Chinese as the "Tangshan Great Earthquake" is a 2010 Chinese drama film depicting the aftermath of the 1976 Tangshan earthquake directed by Feng Xiaogang. The film stars Xu Fan and Zhang Jingchu, with a supporting cast including Li Chen...	2010	1976	set in the aftermath of the 1976 Tangshan earthquake 1976 Tangshan earthquake The Tangshan Earthquake also known as the Great Tangshan Earthquake, was a natural disaster that occurred on July 28, 1976. It is believed to be the largest earthquake of the 20th century by death toll. The epicenter of the earthquake was near Tangshan in Hebei, People's Republic of China, an... .

Indian history

Siddhartha
Siddhartha (film)
Siddhartha is a film based on the novel of the same name by Herman Hesse, directed by Conrad Rooks. It was shot on location in Northern India, and features work by noted cinematographer Sven Nykvist....

(1972), about the life of a boy and his search for a meaningful way of life (c. 563-483 BC).

Mayura
Mayura (film)
Mayura is a 1975 Kannada historical drama film. It is one of the most popular films of acclaimed Kannada actor Dr. Rajkumar, who plays the role of Prince Mayurasharma of the Kadamba dynasty, the earliest native kingdom to rule over what is today the modern state of Karnataka...

(1975), Kannada film based on the Kadamba Dynasty's King Mayurasharma
Mayurasharma
Mayurasharma , a Brahmin scholar and a native of Talagunda , was the founder of the Kadamba Kingdom of Banavasi, the earliest native kingdom to rule over what is today the modern state of Karnataka, India. He took the name of Mayuravarma to emphasise his change from the Brahmin to the Kshatriya...

set in India (345 - 365 C.E.).

Gautama Buddha
Gautama Buddha (film)
Gautama Buddha - The Life and Times of Gautama Buddha is a multilingual feature film on the life and times of Buddha. The film was released in Telugu in 2007 and in other languages in 2008.- Introduction :...

(2007), about the life of Gautama Buddha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...

(c. 563-483 BC).

Amrapali
Amrapali (film)
Amrapali is a 1966 historical Hindi film, directed by Lekh Tandon, starring Vyjayanthimala and Sunil Dutt as leads.It was based on the life of Amrapali , the nagarvadhu of Vaishali, the capital of the Licchavi republic in ancient India around 500 BC and Ajatashatru, the king of the Magadha empire,...

(1966), based on the life of Ambapali
Ambapali
Amrapāli, also known as "Ambapālika" or "Ambapali", was a nagarvadhu of the republic of Vaishali in ancient India around 500 BC.. Following the Buddha's teachings she became an arahant...

in India (c. 500 BC).

Sikandar (1941), Indian-made film set in 326 BC, after Alexander the Great has conquered Persia and pertains to his conquest of the kingdoms of Pauravas
Pauravas
The Pauravas was the name given to the many small kingdoms and tribes of ancient India in the 5th and 4th centuries BC.The Pauravas had also existed before then in the Vedic Ages led by King Sudas, who fought off the Iranian invaders at the Battle of the Ten Kings. The Pauravas were all situated...

(in modern Pakistan and northwest India).

Asoka (2001), fictionalized account of the reign of Ashoka
Ashoka
Ashok Maurya or Ashoka , popularly known as Ashoka the Great, was an Indian emperor of the Maurya Dynasty who ruled almost all of the Indian subcontinent from ca. 269 BC to 232 BC. One of India's greatest emperors, Ashoka reigned over most of present-day India after a number of military conquests...

(r. 273-232 BC), of the Maurya Empire
Maurya Empire
The Maurya Empire was a geographically extensive Iron Age historical power in ancient India, ruled by the Mauryan dynasty from 321 to 185 BC...

in India.

Ambikapathy
Ambikapathy (1937 film)
Ambikapathy a 1937 Tamil film directed by American film director Ellis R. Dungan. It starred M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar, M. R. Santhanalakshmi, Serugulathur Sama, T. S. Balaiya, N. S. Krishnan, T. A. Madhuram and P. G. Venkatesan. Ambikapathy is regarded as one of the greatest hits of...

(1937), a love story set in India in AD 1083.

Vasco da Gama
Urumi (film)
Urumi is a 2011 Malayalam historical-fantasy film directed and co-produced by Santosh Sivan and written by Shankar Ramakrishnan. It stars Prithviraj, who was also one of the producers of the film, as Chirakkal Kelu Nayanar, Prabhu Deva as Vavvali, Robin Pratt as Vasco da Gama, Alexx ONell as...

(2011), the Santosh Sivan
Santosh Sivan
Santosh Sivan is an Indian cinematographer, film director, and producer who has worked in Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, and Hindi cinema....

film is based on a fictional story about a young Indian who tried to kill Vasco da Gama.

Jodha-Akbar (2008) during the reign of Moghul Emperor Akbar (r. 1556-1605), depicts his reign and how his marriage to his Hindu wife Jodhaa Bai affects it.

Mughal-e-Azam
Mughal-e-Azam
Mughal-E-Azam is a 1960 Indian historical epic film produced under the banner of Sterling Investment Corporation Pvt Ltd, and directed by K. Asif. With its unmatched production, K. Asif's magnum opus took nine years and $3 million to complete this movie. This was when a typical Bollywood film...

(1960) is a fictional story about the Mughal era depicting conflict between King Akbar and his son Crown Prince Salim over Anarkali.

Taj Mahal: An Eternal Love Story (2005) Directed by Akbar Khan. This movie entails the story of Shah Jahan (r. 1627-58)and his Queen Mumtaz Mahal (1593-1631). Mumtaz was the love of Shah Jahan's life, and the monument this Mughal emperor built to honour his deceased love was the Taj Mahal (constructed from 1632 to 1653).

The Deceivers
The Deceivers (film)
The Deceivers is a 1988 adventure film directed by Nicholas Meyer. It stars Pierce Brosnan and Saeed Jaffrey. The film is based on the 1952 John Masters novel of the same name.-Plot:...

(1988), about Thugees in India in 1825.

Shatranj Ke Khiladi
Shatranj Ke Khiladi
The Chess Players is a genre painting of 1876 by American artist Thomas Eakins . It is a small oil on wood panel depicting Eakins' father Benjamin observing a chess match. The two players are Bertrand Gardel , an elderly French teacher, and the somewhat younger George Holmes, a painter...

(The Chess Players, 1977) entailing the East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...

's annexation of the kingdom of Oudh (Awadh) from Wajid Ali Shah
Wajid Ali Shah
Wajid Ali Shah was the fifth King of Oudh, holding the position from 13 February 1847 to 7 February 1856....

in 1856 on the eve of the Sepoy Mutiny.
Mangal Pandey: The Rising
Mangal Pandey: The Rising
Mangal Pandey: The Rising or The Rising: Ballad of Mangal Pandey is an Indian movie based on the life of Mangal Pandey, an Indian soldier who is known for his role in the Indian Mutiny of 1857. It is directed by Ketan Mehta, produced by Bobby Bedi, and with a screenplay by Farrukh Dhondy...

(2005), about Mangal Pandey
Mangal Pandey
Mangal Pandey was a sepoy in the 34th Regiment of the Bengal Native Infantry of the English East India Company. He is widely known in India as one of its first freedom fighters...

and the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857.
Junoon (1978 film)
Junoon (1978 film)
The soundtrack features 4 songs, composed by Vanraj Bhatia, with original lyrics from Yogesh Praveen and other lyrics by Amir Khusro, Jigar Moradabadi and Sant Kabir.#"Khusro rain piya ki jaagi pee ke sang" – Jamil Ahmad...

(1978), about a love story between one of the Rebels of 1857 in Rohilkhand
Rohilkhand
Rohilkhand is a region of northwestern Uttar Pradesh state of India.Rohilkhand lies on the upper Ganges alluvial plain and has an area of about 25,000 km²/10,000 square miles...

and an Anglo-Indian woman that he has held hostage (along with her mother and grandmother).
Veer
Veer (film)
Veer is a 2010 Hindi film directed by Anil Sharma, and starring Salman Khan, Mithun Chakraborty, Sohail Khan, Jackie Shroff and Zarine Khan. The film, written by Salman Khan, set during the 1825 Pindari movement of Rajasthan, when India was ruled by the British.Veer was released on 22 January 2010...

(2010), about Veer Singh Dillon and set in India in 1875.
Gandhi
Gandhi (film)
Gandhi is a 1982 biographical film based on the life of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, who led the nonviolent resistance movement against British colonial rule in India during the first half of the 20th century. The film was directed by Richard Attenborough and stars Ben Kingsley as Gandhi. They both...

(1982), Ben Kingsley
Ben Kingsley
Sir Ben Kingsley, CBE is a British actor. He has won an Oscar, BAFTA, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards in his career. He is known for starring as Mohandas Gandhi in the film Gandhi in 1982, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor...

stars as Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869–1948).
Lagaan
Lagaan
Lagaan is a 2001 Bollywood sports film written and directed by Ashutosh Gowariker. Aamir Khan, who was also the producer for the film, stars with Gracy Singh in the lead roles; British actors Rachel Shelley and Paul Blackthorne play the supporting roles...

(2001), a fictional account of a cricket game between the villagers of Champaner
Champaner
Champaner चंमपानेर شمبنر is a historical city in the state of Gujarat, in western India. It is located in Panchmahal district, 47 kilometres from the city of Vadodara. The city was briefly the capital of Gujarat....

in what is now Gujarat and the local British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

cantonment
Cantonment
A cantonment is a temporary or semi-permanent military or police quarters. The word cantonment is derived from the French word canton meaning corner or district, as is the name of the Cantons of Switzerland. In South Asia, the term cantonment also describes permanent military stations...

played in an effort to cancel the "lagaan" (grain tax levied by the British Raj
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...

in India).
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero
The music score that accompanies the film was composed by A. R. Rahman. The soundtrack features 19 pieces composed by Rahman, including 13 instrumentals and orchestral themes, in addition to 6 further songs, with lyrics by Javed Akhtar. Performers include the Western Choir Chennai and the Mumbai...

(2005), where Sachin Khedekar
Sachin Khedekar
Sachin Khedekar is an Indian actor and director, best known for his roles in Astitva, Imtihaan, and as Netaji in Shyam Benegal's Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero...

stars as Indian freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose (1897-1945)
Hey Ram
Hey Ram
Hey Ram is a controversial Indian film released both in Tamil and Hindi in 2000 and written, directed, produced by and starring Kamal Haasan...

(2000), A period drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...

told in flashback, the semi-fictional plot centres around India's Partition and the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...

.
Dharmputra
Dharmputra
Dharmputra is a 1961 Hindi film directed by Yash Chopra. This is Yash's second directorial venture based on a novel by Acharya Chatursen Shastry.- Synopsis :...

, (1961) about the violence that marked the Partition of India
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...

in 1947. Set in Delhi, the movie focuses on two fictional families: that of the Hindu Gulshan Rai and Muslim Nawab Badruddin. Dilip (played by Shashi Kapoor
Shashi Kapoor
Shashi Kapoor , born Balbir-Raj Prithviraj Kapoor on 18 March 1938 in Calcutta , is an award-winning Indian film actor and film producer. He has also been film director and assistant director in Hindi Films. He is a member of the Kapoor family, a film dynasty in India's Bollywood cinema...

is the illegitimate son of the nawab's daughter Husn Bano, but he is unaware of it. Dilip grows up to become a Hindu fundamentalist that participates in the communal violence
Communal violence
Communal violence refers to a situation where violence is perpetrated across ethnic lines, and victims are chosen based upon ethnic group membership...

during partition. Will Husn Bano and her Hindu son learn to live with one another in an atmosphere such intense sectarian hatred?
1947 Earth, (1998) A partition film, directed by Deepa Mehta
Deepa Mehta
Deepa Mehta, LLD is a Genie Award-winning Indian-born Canadian film director and screenwriter, most known for her Elements Trilogy, Fire , Earth , and Water , among which Earth was submitted by Indian government for Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film...

.
Gadar: Ek Prem Katha
Gadar: Ek Prem Katha
The music is composed by Uttam Singh. The song listing is as follows:- Awards :Winner:*Filmfare Best Action Award - Tinnu Verma*Filmfare Special Performance Award - Amisha Patel*Sansui Best Actress Award - Amisha Patel...

, Another movie featuring the 1947 partition starring Sunny Deol
Sunny Deol
Sunny Deol often credited as "Action King of Bollywood" is an Indian film actor, producer and director. Deol was born to Bollywood actor Dharmendra. He has won two National Film Awards and two Filmfare Awards. He went to England to study acting...

and Amisha Patel
Amisha Patel
Ameesha Patel is an Indian actress who appears in mainly Bollywood movies. Making her acting debut in the blockbuster Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai , Patel won critical praise for her performance in Gadar: Ek Prem Katha , which became one of the biggest hits in the history of Hindi cinema, earning her a ...

in a Sikh-Muslim love story.

Pinjar
Pinjar
Pinjar may refer to:* Pinjar, Western Australia, suburb of Perth, Western Australia* Pinjar , novel by Amrita Pritam* Pinjar , 2003 Bollywood film...

, (2003) with regards to the partition of Punjab. This film is based on the Amrita Pritam
Amrita Pritam
Amrita Pritam was a Punjabi writer and poet, considered the first prominent woman Punjabi poet, novelist, and essayist, and the leading 20th-century poet of the Punjabi language, who is equally loved on both the sides of the India-Pakistan border, with a career spanning over six decades, she...

story of the same name.

Partition (2007 film) one of the more recent films on the Indian partition.

Zubeidaa
Zubeidaa
Zubeidaa is a 2001 Indian film directed by Shyam Benegal and written by Khalid Mohammed. It stars Karisma Kapoor, Rekha, Manoj Bajpai, Surekha Sikri, Rajit Kapoor, Lillete Dubey, Amrish Puri, Farida Jalal, and Shakti Kapoor...

(2001), a semi-biographical account of writer Khalid Mohamed's mother, the actress Zubeida Begum
Zubeida Begum
Zubeida Begum was an Indian film actress. She was married to Hanwant Singh, the Maharaja of Jodhpur. Born a Muslim and is the mother of film critic, Khalid Mohammed, who wrote the screenplay for the film Zubeidaa , directed by Shyam Benegal, loosely based on her life and in which her role was...

that is set in the late 1940s and the 1950s.
Border (1997 film) about the Battle of Longewala
Battle of Longewala
The Battle of Longewala was one of the first major engagements in the Western Sector during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, fought between assaulting Pakistani forces and Indian defenders at the Indian border post of Longewala, in the Thar Desert of the Rajasthan state in India.The Indian infantry...

in the Indo-Pakistani war of 1971.
1971 (film)
1971 (film)
1971 is a 2007 Hindi war film directed by Amrit Sagar, and written by Piyush Mishra and Amrit Sagar, based on a true story of prisoners of war after the Indo-Pak war of 1971. The film features an ensemble cast of Manoj Bajpai, Ravi Kishan, Piyush Mishra, Deepak Dobriyal and others...

(2007 film) is based on the plight of Indian prisoners of war in the aftermath of 1971 war between India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

and Pakistan.

Indochina history

The Legend of Suriyothai
The Legend of Suriyothai
The Legend of Suriyothai is a 2001 Thai film directed by Chatrichalerm Yukol, telling the story of Queen Suriyothai, who died in a battle in 1548 against Burmese invaders...

(2001), Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...

film about Sri Suriyothai, the queen of Siam who was killed in battle in 1548.
The Rebel
The Rebel
The Rebel is a 1951 book-length essay by Albert Camus, which treats both the metaphysical and the historical development of rebellion and revolution in societies, especially Western Europe...

(2007), Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...

set in Vietnam in 1920s, under colonial French rule
Indochine (film)
Indochine (film)
Indochine is a 1992 French film set in colonial French Indochina during the 1930s. It is the story of Éliane Devries, a French plantation owner, and of her adopted Vietnamese daughter, Camille, with the rising Vietnamese nationalist movement set as a backdrop...

(1992), French film set in the twilight of colonial French Indochina
French Indochina
French Indochina was part of the French colonial empire in southeast Asia. A federation of the three Vietnamese regions, Tonkin , Annam , and Cochinchina , as well as Cambodia, was formed in 1887....

during the 1930s.
The Scent of Green Papaya
The Scent of Green Papaya
The Scent of Green Papaya is a Vietnamese-language film produced in France by Lazennec Production, and directed by Vietnamese-French director Tran Anh Hung....

(1993), set in 1950s Saigon
The Quiet American
The Quiet American (2002 film)
The Quiet American is a 2002 film adaptation of Graham Greene's bestselling novel of the same name. It was directed by Phillip Noyce and starred Michael Caine, George Henry Hsu, Brendan Fraser, and Do Thi Hai Yen....

(2002), set in Vietnam in 1952, and pertaining to emerging violent factions in the area and early CIA involvement.
The Killing Fields
The Killing Fields (film)
The Killing Fields is a 1984 British drama film about the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia, which is based on the experiences of two journalists: Cambodian Dith Pran and American Sydney Schanberg. The film, which won three Academy Awards, was directed by Roland Joffé and stars Sam Waterston as...

(1984), about the Khmer Rouge
Khmer Rouge
The Khmer Rouge literally translated as Red Cambodians was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, who were the ruling party in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, led by Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen and Khieu Samphan...

regime in Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...

. The film begins in 1973.

Indonesian history

The Year of Living Dangerously
The Year of Living Dangerously
The Year of Living Dangerously is a 1982 Peter Weir film adapted from the novel The Year of Living Dangerously by the author Christopher Koch. The story is about a love affair set in Indonesia during the overthrow of President Sukarno...

(1982), directed by Peter Weir
Peter Weir
Peter Lindsay Weir, AM is an Australian film director. After playing a leading role in the Australian New Wave cinema with his films such as Picnic at Hanging Rock, The Last Wave and Gallipoli, Weir directed a diverse group of American and international films—many of them major box office...

, about the Transition to the New Order or vivere pericolosamente
Krakatoa, East of Java
Krakatoa, East of Java
Krakatoa, East of Java is a movie starring Maximilian Schell and Brian Keith. This film was nominated for Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.-Plot:...

(1969), nomination for Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, featured the 1883 eruption of the volcano
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...

on the island of Krakatoa
Krakatoa
Krakatoa is a volcanic island made of a'a lava in the Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra in Indonesia. The name is used for the island group, the main island , and the volcano as a whole. The island exploded in 1883, killing approximately 40,000 people, although some estimates...

.
Paradise Road (1997), about the event of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

on the island of Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
The Merdeka Trilogy: Merah Putih (2009), Darah Garuda (2010), about the struggles of the Indonesians throughout the Indonesian National Revolution
Indonesian National Revolution
The Indonesian National Revolution or Indonesian War of Independence was an armed conflict and diplomatic struggle between Indonesia and the Dutch Empire, and an internal social revolution...

.

Japanese history

Gate of Hell (1953), Japanese film set in AD 1159.
Ran
Ran (film)
is a 1985 Japanese-French jidaigeki film written and directed by Akira Kurosawa. The film starred Tatsuya Nakadai as Hidetora Ichimonji, an aging Sengoku-era warlord who decides to abdicate as ruler in favor of his three sons. It also stars Mieko Harada as the wife of Ichimonji's eldest son...

(1985), Akira Kurosawa
Akira Kurosawa
was a Japanese film director, producer, screenwriter and editor. Regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema, Kurosawa directed 30 filmsIn 1946, Kurosawa co-directed, with Hideo Sekigawa and Kajiro Yamamoto, the feature Those Who Make Tomorrow ;...

’s epic adaptation of Shakespeare’s King Lear
King Lear
King Lear is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The title character descends into madness after foolishly disposing of his estate between two of his three daughters based on their flattery, bringing tragic consequences for all. The play is based on the legend of Leir of Britain, a mythological...

set in 16th century Japan.
Kagemusha
Kagemusha
is a 1980 film by Akira Kurosawa. The title is a term used for an impersonator. It is set in the Warring States era of Japanese history and tells the story of a lower-class criminal who is taught to impersonate a dying warlord in order to dissuade opposing lords from attacking the newly vulnerable...

(1980), Akira Kurosawa
Akira Kurosawa
was a Japanese film director, producer, screenwriter and editor. Regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema, Kurosawa directed 30 filmsIn 1946, Kurosawa co-directed, with Hideo Sekigawa and Kajiro Yamamoto, the feature Those Who Make Tomorrow ;...

film centered around the Battle of Nagashino
Battle of Nagashino
The ' took place in 1575 near Nagashino Castle on the plain of Shitaragahara in the Mikawa province of Japan. Forces under Takeda Katsuyori had besieged the castle since the 17th of June; Okudaira Sadamasa , a Tokugawa vassal, commanded the defending force...

in 1575.
Seven Samurai (1954), Akira Kurosawa
Akira Kurosawa
was a Japanese film director, producer, screenwriter and editor. Regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema, Kurosawa directed 30 filmsIn 1946, Kurosawa co-directed, with Hideo Sekigawa and Kajiro Yamamoto, the feature Those Who Make Tomorrow ;...

's masterpiece set around 1587/1588 during Japan's Warring States Period
Sengoku period
The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...

.
Shōgun
Shogun (TV miniseries)
Shōgun is an American television miniseries based on the namesake novel by James Clavell. As with the novel, the title is often shown as Shōgun in order to conform to Hepburn romanization. The miniseries was broadcast over five nights, between September 15 and September 19, 1980 on NBC in the...

(1980), American mini-series based on the novel
Shogun (novel)
Shōgun is a 1975 novel by James Clavell. It is the first novel of the author's Asian Saga. A major bestseller, by 1990 the book had sold 15 million copies worldwide...

by James Clavell
James Clavell
James Clavell, born Charles Edmund DuMaresq Clavell was an Australian-born, British novelist, screenwriter, director and World War II veteran and prisoner of war...

, loosely based on William Adams
William Adams (sailor)
William Adams , also known in Japanese as Anjin-sama and Miura Anjin , was an English navigator who travelled to Japan and is believed to be the first Englishman ever to reach that country...

, the English navigator who served as a key advisor to Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...

beginning in 1600.
The 47 Ronin
The 47 Ronin
is a 1941/1942 black-and-white two-part jidaigeki Japanese film directed by Kenji Mizoguchi.The first part was originally released in Japan just prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor. The film was directed by Kenji Mizoguchi, and adapted from the play by Seika Mayama...

(1941), released just before the attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...

and depicting the famous actions of the Forty-seven Ronin
Forty-seven Ronin
The revenge of the , also known as the Forty-seven Samurai, the Akō vendetta, or the took place in Japan at the start of the 18th century...

in 1701-1703.
Chushingura: Hana no Maki, Yuki no Maki (1962), another film about the Forty-seven Ronin
Forty-seven Ronin
The revenge of the , also known as the Forty-seven Samurai, the Akō vendetta, or the took place in Japan at the start of the 18th century...

(1701–1703).
Bushido Blade
Bushido Blade (film)
The Bushido Blade is a 1981 film, directed by Tsugunobu Kotani, about a samurai sword being entrusted to Commodore Matthew Perry for the President of the United States by the Emperor of Japan that was stolen by a band of thieves who oppose the treaty about to be signed...

(1981), about the forced opening of Japan in 1854.
Tora! Tora! Tora!
Tora! Tora! Tora!
is a 1970 American-Japanese war film that dramatizes the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, to the extent these facts were known at the time of production. The film was directed by Richard Fleischer and stars an all-star cast, including So Yamamura, E.G...

(1970), detailing the events leading up to and including the attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...

in 1941.
Midway
Midway (film)
Midway is a 1976 war film directed by Jack Smight and produced byWalter Mirisch from a screenplay by Donald S. Sanford. The music score was by John Williams and the cinematography by Harry Stradling, Jr...

(1976), about the Battle of Midway
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway is widely regarded as the most important naval battle of the Pacific Campaign of World War II. Between 4 and 7 June 1942, approximately one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea and six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States Navy decisively defeated...

between Japan and the United States in 1942.
The Bridge on the River Kwai
The Bridge on the River Kwai
The Bridge on the River Kwai is a 1957 British World War II film by David Lean based on The Bridge over the River Kwai by French writer Pierre Boulle. The film is a work of fiction but borrows the construction of the Burma Railway in 1942–43 for its historical setting. It stars William...

(1957), about allied prisoners of war forced to work on the Burma Railway during World War II.
Letters from Iwo Jima
Letters from Iwo Jima
is a 2006 war film directed and co-produced by Clint Eastwood, and starring Ken Watanabe and Kazunari Ninomiya. The film portrays the Battle of Iwo Jima from the perspective of the Japanese soldiers and is a companion piece to Eastwood's Flags of Our Fathers, which depicts the same battle from the...

(2006), Japanese-language film directed by Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood
Clinton "Clint" Eastwood, Jr. is an American film actor, director, producer, composer and politician. Eastwood first came to prominence as a supporting cast member in the TV series Rawhide...

about the Battle of Iwo Jima
Battle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima , or Operation Detachment, was a major battle in which the United States fought for and captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Empire of Japan. The U.S...

in 1945.
Hiroshima
Hiroshima (film)
Hiroshima is a 1995 Japanese / Canadian film directed by Koreyoshi Kurahara and Roger Spottiswoode about the decision-making processes that led to the dropping of the atomic bombs by the United States on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki toward the end of World War II. Except as actors,...

(1995), docu-drama about the events leading up to the use of the first atomic weapons in 1945.

Kazakhstani history

Nomad (2006), about the early years of Ablai Khan (early 1700s), a Kazakh khan in part of what is now Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...

.

Korean history

Once Upon a Time in a Battlefield (2003), set during the Battle of Hwangsanbeol
Battle of Hwangsanbeol
Battle of Hwangsanbeol was a battle that took place between forces of Silla and Baekje in 660.By the time King Muyeol was able to gain the support of Emperor Gaozong of Tang China, King Uija had led Baekje into demise as his parties and dissipation caused neglect for state affairs...

(660).
A Frozen Flower
A Frozen Flower
A Frozen Flower is a 2008 South Korean film. It is directed by Yoo Ha and stars Zo In Sung, Ju Jin-mo and Song Ji-hyo. The historical film is set Goryeo Dynasty and is loosely based on the reign of Gongmin of Goryeo , but it does not strictly comply with historical facts...

(2008), set during the late Goryeo Dynasty.

The Divine Weapon
The Divine Weapon
- Plot :During the reign of King Sejong the Great, Joseon Korea faces increasing hostility from Ming China. Ming China, without restraint, mounts unrelenting demands against the Korean crown, further entrenching distrust and aversion to subservience. Ming China has especially been provoked by a...

(2008), set during the 16th century.

The King and the Clown
The King and the Clown
The King and the Clown is a 2005 South Korean film, adapted from the 2000 Korean play titled Yi about Yeonsangun of Joseon, a Joseon dynasty king who falls in love with a court clown who mocks him. The movie is based on a small passage from the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty that briefly mentions...

(2005), set during the 16th century.
Blades of Blood
Blades of Blood
Blades of Blood is a 2010 South Korean action drama film directed by Lee Joon-ik. The film is based on the graphic novel Like the Moon Escaping from the Clouds.- Production :...

(2010), set during the 16th century.
Shadows in the Palace
Shadows in the Palace
Shadows in the Palace is a 2007 South Korean film directed by Kim Mee-jeung. This is Kim Mee-jeung's first feature film, but she has previously worked as part of the directing staff in The King and the Clown and Shadows in the Palace was filmed on the same set as The King and the Clown...

(2007), set during the 17th century.
Chi-hwa-seon
Chi-hwa-seon
Chi-hwa-seon or Chwi-hwa-seon, , is a 2002 South Korean drama film directed by Im Kwon-taek about Jang Seung-up , a nineteenth-century Korean painter who changed the direction of Korean art.-Synopsis:It begins with the Korean artist being suspicious of a Japanese...

(2002), set during the 19th century.
Like Fireworks, Like Butterflies (2009), set during the 19th century.

Mongolian history

Mongol
Mongol (film)
Mongol is a 2007 semi-historical film directed by Sergei Bodrov. The storyline was conceived from a screenplay written by Bodrov and Arif Aliev. Producers for the film comprised Bodrov, Sergei Selyanov and Anton Melnik. The film is based on the early life of Temüjin, who later came to be known as...

(2007), a film based on the early life of Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....

.
The Golden Horde
The Golden Horde (film)
The Golden Horde is a 1951 Historical Adventure film directed by George Sherman and starring Ann Blyth and David Farrar. Many of the exterior scenes were shot in Death Valley National Park, California, USA.-Plot synopsis:...

(1951), English-language film about an English knight who leads the defense of Samarkand
Samarkand
Although a Persian-speaking region, it was not united politically with Iran most of the times between the disintegration of the Seleucid Empire and the Arab conquest . In the 6th century it was within the domain of the Turkic kingdom of the Göktürks.At the start of the 8th century Samarkand came...

against Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....

in 1220.

South Korean history

Taegukgi
Taegukgi (film)
Taegukgi Hwinallimyo is a 2004 South Korean war film directed by Kang Je-gyu. It tells the story about the effect of the Korean War on two brothers. The film's title is the name of the pre-war Flag of Korea as well as the postwar Flag of South Korea...

(2004), set during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...

(1950–1953).
Welcome to Dongmakgol
Welcome to Dongmakgol
Welcome to Dongmakgol is a 2005 South Korean film set during the Korean War. It was South Korea's official entry for the foreign language film category of the Academy Awards in 2005, and as of 2005 it was the fourth-highest grossing South Korean film of all time...

(2005), set during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...

(1950–1953).
71: Into the Fire (2010), set during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...

(1950–1953).
Silmido
Silmido (film)
Silmido is a 2003 South Korean film, directed by Kang Woo-suk. It is loosely based on a military uprising from the island of Silmido in the 1970s. At the end of its run, the film was the most watched film ever in South Korea, and the first film to attract an audience of 10 million viewers in the...

(2003), based on a military uprising
Unit 684
209th Detachment, 2325th Group, commonly known as Unit 684, was a black operation team of Republic of Korea Air Force whose only given task was to assassinate North Korea's premier Kim Il-sung.-Formation:...

on Silmido
Silmido
Silmido is an uninhabited island in the Yellow Sea, off the west coast of South Korea. It has an area of about .25 km². It lies within the borders of Incheon metropolitan city, and is about 5 kilometers southwest of Incheon International Airport...

island in the 1970s.
The President's Last Bang
The President's Last Bang
The President's Last Bang The original title refers to a famous Korean song of a similar title – "That Man of those Days". According to official sources, this song was performed by Sim Soo-bong during the party the night of Park's assassination. In the movie, however, Sim Soo-bong is summoned to...

(2005), based on the assassination of Park Chung-hee
Park Chung-hee
Park Chung-hee was a Republic of Korea Army general and the leader of South Korea from 1961 to 1979. He seized power in a military coup and ruled until his assassination in 1979. He has been credited with the industrialization of the Republic of Korea through export-led growth...

.

Taiwanese History

A City of Sadness
A City of Sadness
A City of Sadness is a 1989 Taiwanese historical drama film directed by Hou Hsiao-hsien. It tells the story of a family embroiled in the tragic "White Terror" that was wrought on the Taiwanese people by the Kuomintang government after their arrival from mainland China in the late 1940s, during...

(1989), Taiwanese historical drama film sets immediately after WWII in the late 1940s. The film was the first to depict the 228 Incident
228 Incident
The 228 Incident, also known as the 228 Massacre, was an anti-government uprising in Taiwan that began on February 27, 1947, and was violently suppressed by the Kuomintang government. Estimates of the number of deaths vary from 10,000 to 30,000 or more...

of 1947, an anti-government uprising that was quelled.

Philippine History

Dekada '70
Dekada '70 (film)
Dekada '70 is a 2002 Filipino drama film released based on a book called Dekada '70 written by Filipino author, Lualhati Bautista.-Plot:...

(2002), a film in based on the novel which is the title itself by Lualhati Bautista
Lualhati Bautista
Lualhati Torres Bautista is one of the foremost Filipino female novelists in the history of contemporary Philippine Literature. Her novels include Dekada '70, Bata, Bata, Pa'no Ka Ginawa?, and ‘GAPÔ....

. the setting is period of Martial law.
Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita
Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita
Aishite Imasu 1941 is a drama, romance, and war movie released in Philippines in 2004 and is a story of love, betrayal and honor in wartime set in the Japanese Occupation of the Philippines during World War II...

(2004), a film about Japanese Occupation of the Philippines in World War II.
Baler
Baler (film)
Baler is a 2008 drama film and the official entry of VIVA Films in the 2008 Metro Manila Film Festival, starring Anne Curtis and Jericho Rosales...

(2008), a film depicting the Siege of Baler
Siege of Baler
The Siege of Baler, from July 1, 1898 to June 2, 1899, was a battle of the Philippine Revolution and concurrently the Spanish-American War. Filipino revolutionaries laid siege to a fortified church manned by colonial Spanish troops in the town of Baler, Philippines for 11 months.The battle is...
Rosario
Rosario (2010 film)
Rosario is a 2010 drama film directed by Albert Martinez, an official entry to the 36th Metro Manila Film Festival. The story was about Manuel V. Pangilinan's grandmother. The film stars Jennylyn Mercado, Yul Servo, Dennis Trillo, Isabel Oli, Sid Lucero, Philip Salvador, and Eula Valdez and with a...

(2010), a film about the life of Rosario, a girl during American Occupation Period. She was Manuel V. Pangilinan
Manuel V. Pangilinan
Manuel V Pangilinan , also known as Manny Pangilinan and MVP, is a Filipino businessman. He is the Chairman of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company, from 1998 up to the present....

's grandmother.
Independencia
Independencia (film)
Independencia is a 2009 Filipino drama film directed by Raya Martin. It competed in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Tetchie Agbayani as Thelmaminda* Alessandra de Rossi as Marcela* Sid Lucero as Miguel...

(2009), a film based on the occupation of Americans.
Tirad Pass: The Story of Gen. Gregorio del Pilar (1997), a film about the Battle of Tirad Pass
Battle of Tirad Pass
The Battle of Tirad Pass, sometimes referred to as the "Philippine Thermopylae", was a battle in the Philippine-American War fought on December 2, 1899, in northern Luzon in the Philippines, in which a 60-man Filipino rearguard commanded by Brigadier General Gregorio del Pilar succumbed to 500...

.
Ang Paglilitis ni Andres Bonifacio (The Trial of Andres Bonifacio) (2010), a film on the life of Andres Bonifacio
Andres Bonifacio
Andrés Bonifacio y de Castro was a Filipino nationalist and revolutionary. He was a founder and later Supremo of the Katipunan movement which sought the independence of the Philippines from Spanish colonial rule and started the Philippine Revolution...

.
Bayani (Hero) (1992), a film on the life of Andres Bonifacio
Andres Bonifacio
Andrés Bonifacio y de Castro was a Filipino nationalist and revolutionary. He was a founder and later Supremo of the Katipunan movement which sought the independence of the Philippines from Spanish colonial rule and started the Philippine Revolution...

.
Jose Rizal
José Rizal (film)
José Rizal is a 1998 award-winning Filipino film biopic directed by Marilou Diaz-Abaya.It was GMA Films' entry to the 1998 Metro Manila Film Festival. It is touted as one of the biggest films ever made in the history of Philippine cinema with a record-breaking P80-million budget despite the fact...

(1998), a film about the life of the Philippine National Hero, ose Rizal].
Lapu-lapu
Lapu-Lapu
Lapu-Lapu was the ruler of Mactan, an island in the Visayas, Philippines, who is known as the first native of the archipelago to have resisted the Spanish colonization...

(1955 & 2002), a film about the life of the hero of Mactan.
Amaya
Amaya (TV series)
Amaya is a Philippine historical fiction and period drama created and developed by Suzette Doctolero, with Marian Rivera in the title-role. Directed by Mac Alejandre, it premiered on May 30 on GMA Network and on June 1, 2011 on GMA Pinoy TV....

(2011), a drama series set on the time period prior to the Spanish occupation of the Philippines. It is set in the Visayas region in the mid-1500s..

Uzbekistani history

The Golden Horde
The Golden Horde (film)
The Golden Horde is a 1951 Historical Adventure film directed by George Sherman and starring Ann Blyth and David Farrar. Many of the exterior scenes were shot in Death Valley National Park, California, USA.-Plot synopsis:...

(1951), English-language film about an English knight who leads the defense of Samarkand
Samarkand
Although a Persian-speaking region, it was not united politically with Iran most of the times between the disintegration of the Seleucid Empire and the Arab conquest . In the 6th century it was within the domain of the Turkic kingdom of the Göktürks.At the start of the 8th century Samarkand came...

against Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....

in 1220.

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