Top 10 Biographical Films About Exile

Description: Jeffrey Wigand, a former tobacco executive, becomes an exile from his industry when he decides to expose the truth about the dangers of smoking, facing threats and isolation.

Fact: Al Pacino and Russell Crowe both received Academy Award nominations for their performances. The film was based on a Vanity Fair article.

Description: This film tells the story of Władysław Szpilman, a Polish-Jewish pianist who survives the Holocaust by living in hiding in the ruins of Warsaw. It captures the essence of exile through the lens of survival in extreme conditions.

Fact: Adrien Brody learned to play the piano for the film, losing 30 pounds to portray the emaciated Szpilman. The film won the Palme d'Or at Cannes and three Academy Awards, including Best Actor for Brody.

Description: This biographical film follows the young Che Guevara as he travels across South America, an experience that shapes his political views and leads to his exile from Argentina.

Fact: The film was shot in the locations where the real events took place. Gael García Bernal, who played Guevara, met with his family to better understand his character.

Description: Jean-Dominique Bauby, the editor of French Elle magazine, suffers a massive stroke that leaves him with locked-in syndrome, essentially exiled within his own body. The film explores his internal exile and his method of communication.

Fact: The film was shot from Bauby's point of view for the first part, reflecting his limited field of vision. It won the Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival.

Description: Set in East Germany, this film examines the life of a Stasi officer who becomes increasingly disillusioned with his work, leading to a personal exile from his own beliefs and the regime he serves.

Fact: The film won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. It was Ulrich Mühe's last major film role before his death.

Description: This film focuses on Edward R. Murrow's confrontation with Senator Joseph McCarthy during the Red Scare, leading to a form of professional exile for those accused of communism.

Fact: The film was shot in black and white to evoke the era's television broadcasts. George Clooney, who directed and co-wrote the film, also stars as Fred Friendly.

Description: This film portrays the life of Idi Amin, the Ugandan dictator, through the eyes of his Scottish physician, Dr. Nicholas Garrigan, who becomes both a confidant and a victim of Amin's regime, experiencing a form of political exile.

Fact: Forest Whitaker won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Idi Amin. The film was shot on location in Uganda.

Description: King George VI, who stammers, must overcome his speech impediment to lead his country during WWII, facing a kind of internal exile from public speaking.

Fact: Colin Firth won an Oscar for his role as King George VI. The film was based on the true story of Lionel Logue, who helped the King with his stammer.

Description: While not directly about exile, this film explores Stephen Hawking's life, focusing on his battle with motor neuron disease, which metaphorically represents an exile from his own body as he loses physical control.

Fact: Eddie Redmayne won an Oscar for his portrayal of Hawking. The film was based on Jane Hawking's memoir, providing a personal perspective on their life together.

Description: This film follows Percy Fawcett, an explorer who becomes obsessed with finding an ancient lost city in the Amazon, leading to his self-imposed exile from civilization.

Fact: The film was shot in Colombia, which provided a similar environment to the Amazon. Charlie Hunnam underwent extensive physical training to portray Fawcett.