Romance period piece movies are not that common in the indie film community: they require countless vintage props and historical research, and not all independent productions can get their hands on the sets or afford large-scale productions.
Nonetheless, indie filmmakers often illuminate local historical events and give a new perspective to well-known storylines.
Romeo & Juliet
#Drama #Romance #English
Directed by: Carlo Carlei
You know the drill: It’s about two kids from wealthy families who can’t stand each other, but they fall hard and get married in secret. Things spiral fast, and one event after another doesn’t end quietly. It’s a classic love story, ideal for when you don’t know what to watch and stick to proven classics.
This not-so-faithful adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet leans into classic period drama, with a simpler, more accessible tone likely to draw in a teen audience. The love story is soft and swift. While there’s no harsh language, there is some stylized violence, including sword fights and a bit of poison—poison,the kind that comes with fatal consequences.
Flor de Azúcar
#Drama #Romance #Spanish
Directed by: Fernando Baez
Set in the Dominican Republic during the political climate of the late 1940s, Flor de Azúcar (Sugar Fields) follows a humble young farmer whose life is changed after a violent encounter that forces him into hiding. While the film unfolds, its heart lies in the quiet hope for reunion and redemption as he yearns to return to the wife and daughters he has torn away from.
Shot by two of the Dominican Republic’s most respected cinematographers, Fernando Baez and Juan Bosch, Flor de Azúcar stands out for its stunning visuals, evocative music by Pedro Eustache and Pedro Pagán, and careful sound design by Franklin Hernández. It captures a pivotal moment in Dominican identity with clarity, depth, and craft that rivals more established industries. The presence of Trujillo’s dictatorship is palpable throughout, but the film never loses its emotional core.
A Burning Desire to Wreak Revenge
#Action #Adventure #Romance #Chinese
Directed by: Chou Zhong
A successful adaptation of the Chinese web novel “The Eldest Daughter” by Ping Zeke, also known as The Queen Left the Palace, this c-drama asks the question: can fate truly be rewritten, or are we all just pieces on a chessboard?
After a life of betrayal and disgrace, noblewoman Shu Yuan is given an extraordinary second chance with reincarnation. Once executed for crimes she didn’t commit, she plots to change the course of history, stop the rise of a ruthless ruler, and reclaim the legacy her enemies tried to erase.
For fans of palace power plays, richly detailed period settings, and heroines who don’t wait to be saved, this Chinese historical drama delivers a gripping, high-stakes journey through love, revenge, and redemption.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
#Drama #Silent #Classic #English
Directed by: Wallace Worsley
This adaptation of Victor Hugo’s French Gothic takes liberties with the original text but features a worthy Lon Chaney performance as Quasimodo. It is not the costume period drama as we imagine it, but rather a relic itself, silent and shot in 1923.
15th-century Paris. The archdeacon’s brother conspires with the gypsy king to incite an uprising among the peasants, while a deformed bell-ringer becomes enamored with a captivating gypsy dancer. Manipulated by his cruel master, Quasimodo attempts to kidnap the beautiful Esmeralda, only to be captured and publicly punished. The rest of the story leads to a well-known tragic climax.
Augustine
#Drama #French
Directed by: Alice Winocour
Loosely based on real people and events, Augustine portrays the relationship between 19th-century French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot and his patient Louise Augustine Gleizes, known as Augustine. Charcot was renowned for his studies on hysteria at the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris, where Augustine, a 19-year-old kitchen maid who had a violent seizure, became one of his most famous cases. Their evolving relationship blurs the lines between medical study and personal obsession.
Directed by Alice Winocour in her feature debut, the film showcases meticulous period detail of the Belle Époque era. This period drama captures the stark contrast between Parisian society’s abundance and medical institutions’ grim realities. Complemented by Jocelyn Pook’s haunting score, Augustine is a compelling exploration of power dynamics and the human psyche, notably, the film stars French singer-songwriter Soko.
A Sealed Book
#Mystery #Romance #Chinese
Directed by: Xiaogang Wang
In a remote desert town in Republican-era China, eerie darkness swallows the sky and unleashes a deadly swarm of insects. As the terrified townspeople flee, two policemen—Sangjiu and his son Xiaowu—arrive to investigate. They uncover whispers of an underground palace, an ancient book that drains the energy of the sun and moon, and a ghostly concubine from the Song dynasty who seems to know Xiaowu by name.
As they team up with a scrappy group of refugees and time-warped warriors, young Xiaowu starts to suspect there’s more connecting him to the ghostly woman. The further they go, the stranger things get, and it’s clear this isn’t just a rescue mission. Worth watching if you’re into costume design—the costumes of the band of refugees, designed by Zhao Xiaoyu, exhibit a “raggedy look” rich in small details, effectively portraying the band of refugees.
Travel Back in Time With Period Piece Romance Movies on UVOtv
There’s no such thing as too many romantic period movies. Check out UVOtv’s period piece movie collection and explore how humans lived and loved long before us.
