There is something uniquely Spanish about cinema and romance. Perhaps it’s the passion of the looks, the verse of the words, or the unflinching manner in which these films welcome both passion and sorrow. Spanish and Latin American writers aren’t afraid of the complexity of love—they jump headfirst into it, reminding us that passion and heartache, too often hand in hand, accompany each other. If you’re ready to feel it all—longing, joy, devastation, and hope—here are 10 unforgettable Spanish-language romances. And just to make it fun, we’ll count down from number 10 to the very top.
10. Emilia Perez
This daring musical-thriller genre-bender is as unpredictable as love itself. A cartel leader gets change surgery with the assistance of a conflicted attorney, and out of the flames of violence comes a tale of transformation, identity, and rebirth. Nominated for 13 Academy Awards, Emilia Perez shows that love can take hold even in the most unlikely of places.
9. The Secret in Their Eyes
Part crime thriller, part poignant love story, this Argentinian-Spanish drama is more than a murder that happened decades ago. A retired detective reopens the case, but also grapples with a romance he allowed to get away. The conflict between justice and remorse makes the movie unforgettable—and it’s no surprise it took home the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.
8. Abzurdah
Raw, dark, and disturbing, Abzurdah probes the perils of addiction and poisonous love. After a teenage girl in a self-sabotaging affair with an older man, Abzurdah uncovers the vulnerability of youth and the self-destructive routes desire will take us on. It’s romance in its most risky and unyielding form.
7. Law of Desire
Pedro Almodóvar plunges deep into desire, fantasy, and the mess of love triangles in this unapologetic film. A director gets himself caught up in a network of affairs that dissolves the border between reality and art. Preeminent in its LGBTQ+ depiction, the film is still as courageous, sensual, and emotionally untidy as when it originally opened.
6. The Bilingual Lover
Here’s romance with a cutting edge of satire. When a man transforms himself to gett back his ex-wife, the tale becomes a satirical but affectionate examination of class, identity, and role-playing in love. Both absurd and moving, it’s an offbeat romance that defies conventions.
5. The Flower of My Secret
Sometimes the most devastating heartbreak occurs in private. In this Almodóvar jewel, a romance writer struggles with a failing marriage and a personal writing crisis. Less flashy than his typical work, this film glows with warmth and emotional truth and indicates that even in loss, love leaves a mark.
4. Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!
Equal measures disquieting and dark humor, this cult classic tells the story of a psychiatric patient who kidnaps a B-movie star, believing they are meant to be together. Challenging and incendiary, the film teeters between obsession and love, paving the way for Almodóvar’s subsequent investigations into love’s fuzzy edges.
3. Elisa & Marcela
Drawing on actual events, this period drama recounts the history of Spain’s first gay marriage. In 1901, two women put everything at stake—going against family, church, and the law—to be together. Even if one disguises herself as a man to make their union possible. A poignant testament to the endurance of love, it’s a tale that continues to reverberate strongly even today.
2. Lovers of the Arctic Circle
Fate and coincidence weave through this poetic tale of Otto and Ana, whose love begins in childhood and evolves into something far deeper—and more tragic. With its cyclical storytelling and haunting Arctic setting, the film feels like a meditation on destiny itself. It’s the kind of romance that lingers long after the credits roll.
1. All About My Mother
No Spanish-language romance list would be complete without this Almodóvar masterpiece. After a mother’s quest to find the late son’s trans father, the movie unfolds into a vibrant tapestry of friendships, family of choice, and love without conditions. Colorful, poignant, and profoundly empathetic, it took the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film and stands among the director’s most iconic works.
What gives Spanish romance movies their power isn’t the love stories themselves—it’s how they hold the opposites of love together: joy and suffering, gentleness and turmoil, beginnings and ends. They remind us that romance is not tidy or simple. It’s complicated, exhilarating, and sometimes heartbreaking. Whether you’re studying Spanish, need an emotional rollercoaster, or just in the mood for a movie that goes straight to the heart, these movies will make you feel everything. Because in Spanish cinema, love isn’t a theme, it’s a force of nature.