10 Movies & Shows Like Crossing (2024)

Description: Follows two strangers who meet on a train and spend one night walking through a foreign city, exploring themes of serendipity, connection, and the transient nature of time.

Fact: The entire script was written in just 11 days. Many scenes were improvised, with the actors given only general directions about what needed to be conveyed in each moment.

Description: Centers on two strangers forming a deep connection in a foreign city, highlighting themes of loneliness, cultural disorientation, and fleeting yet meaningful relationships.

Fact: Much of the dialogue was improvised, including the famous whispered ending scene. The film was shot in only 27 days, mostly at night to avoid disrupting Tokyo's busy streets.

Description: A story about a man stuck in an airport due to bureaucratic issues, exploring themes of displacement, cultural barriers, and the search for belonging in an unfamiliar environment.

Fact: The film was inspired by the real-life story of Mehran Karimi Nasseri, who lived in Charles de Gaulle Airport for 18 years. The set was a fully functional, life-sized replica of an airport terminal built inside a hangar.

Description: Explores the immigrant experience through generational differences, cultural identity, and the struggle to reconcile heritage with personal aspirations.

Fact: The novel's author, Jhumpa Lahiri, makes a cameo appearance at a party scene. Much of the New York filming was done in actual apartments rather than sets to maintain authenticity.

Description: A couple travels across North America searching for the perfect place to raise their family, dealing with themes of home, identity, and the meaning of belonging.

Fact: The film features an entirely original soundtrack by indie folk artist Alexi Murdoch. All the locations visited in the movie were shot in actual sequence to maintain the road trip feel.

Description: A long-distance relationship strained by visa issues and cultural adjustments, capturing the emotional toll of separation and the challenges of international love.

Fact: The lead actors were kept apart for weeks during filming to authentically capture their longing. Many scenes were improvised based on the actors' real experiences with long-distance relationships.

Description: A mistaken lunch delivery connects two lonely people in Mumbai through handwritten notes, exploring urban isolation, unexpected connections, and the power of small gestures.

Fact: The Mumbai lunchbox delivery system shown in the film is real and delivers over 200,000 lunchboxes daily. The film was shot chronologically to maintain the natural progression of the characters' relationship.

Description: A young woman immigrates from Ireland to America, navigating homesickness, cultural adaptation, and the bittersweet process of building a new life while maintaining ties to her homeland.

Fact: The film's costume designer searched through vintage shops across three countries to find authentic 1950s clothing. Many scenes were shot in real 1950s buildings that required minimal set dressing.

Description: A cross-cultural romance that deals with family expectations, cultural differences, and the challenges of maintaining relationships across divides.

Fact: The film is based on the real-life romance between the screenwriters, who play themselves in the movie. Much of the hospital dialogue was improvised by the actors.

Description: Focuses on a family's decision to keep a terminal diagnosis secret from their grandmother, exploring cultural traditions, family bonds, and the immigrant experience between China and America.

Fact: The story is based on the director's actual family experience. The grandmother in the film is played by a non-professional actor who had never acted before.