Orphan movies and TV shows
The list contains the best, new and most relevant orphan movies ordered by relevance. The recommendation service has sorted out touching, realistic, feel good, serious, sentimental and emotional films and TV shows about / with orphan, youth, family relations, runaway, friendship, child, coming of age, children, storytelling and childhood plots mostly in Drama, Family and Fantasy genres shot in USA, UK, Canada and other countries.
2929
TOP 10 movies tagged as orphan: A Shine of Rainbows (2009), Jet Boy (2001), A Little Princess (1995), August Rush (2007), Oliver Twist (2007), Anne with an E (2017), Anne of Green Gables (1985), The Thief Lord (2006), Pete's Dragon (2016), Little Big Girl (2002).
Best films
New films
List of orphan movies
Genre: Drama, Family
Country: Canada, Ireland
Duration: 101 min.
Story:
An orphaned boy named Tomás is adopted by Maire O’Donnell to live on a whimsical Irish isle filled with new friends, secret caves and a lost baby pup seal stranded on the coast. But when Maire's reluctant husband Alec refuses to accept ...
Style:
sentimental, sincere, realistic, serious, touching ...
Audience:
family outing, adult
Plot:
adoption, orphan, human animal relationship, youth, island, adoptive father adopted son relationship, friendship, love, family relations, couples, parents and children, family life ...
Time:
year 2009
Place:
ireland, europe
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: Canada
Duration: 99 min.
Story:
Dave Schultz' feature debut Jet Boy is a drama about a boy attempting to figure out his future. Nathan (Branden Nadon) goes on a search to find his father after his mother dies of a drug overdose. Nathan has been prostituting himself in order ...
Style:
independent film, sexy, touching, realistic, serious ...
Plot:
kids in trouble, man boy relationship, gay, boyhood, orphan, child neglect, boy, teenage boy, teenager, teenage prostitution, lgbt teen, youth ...
Time:
21st century
Place:
canada
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, Family, Fantasy
Country: USA
Duration: 97 min.
Story:
When her father enlists to fight for the British in WWI, young Sara Crewe goes to New York to attend the same boarding school her late mother attended. She soon clashes with the severe headmistress, Miss Minchin, who attempts to stifle Sara's ...
Style:
touching, fairy tale, heartbreaking, feel good, costume drama ...
Audience:
kids, chick flick, family outing, family friendly, pre-teens ...
Plot:
boarding school, imagination, childhood, princess, orphan, servant, little girl, fantasy life, child, girls' boarding school, coming of age, children ...
Time:
20th century, edwardian era, future, victorian era, 90s ...
Place:
india, new york, england, britain, africa ...
Is relevant?
114K
Genre: Drama, Music
Country: South Korea, USA
Duration: 114 min.
Story:
A drama with fairy tale elements, where an orphaned musical prodigy uses his gift as a clue to finding his birth parents.
Style:
touching, inspirational, feel good, sentimental, romantic ...
Audience:
chick flick, teens, kids, girls' night, family outing ...
Plot:
music, musician, orphan, prodigy, child prodigy, child protagonist, dancing, childhood, boy, youth, chance meeting, cellist ...
Time:
year 2007, 2000s, 80s, year 1995, 21st century
Place:
new york, usa, chicago, greenwich village manhattan new york city, manhattan new york city ...
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
Genre: Drama, History
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 35 min.
TV show
Story:
Oliver is born into poverty and misfortune - the son of an unmarried mother, who dies shortly after his birth. He is soon delivered to the workhouse, where the cruel Mr. Bumble oversees children tormented by starvation and suffering. When Oliver ...
Style:
costume drama, touching, sentimental, sincere, captivating ...
Plot:
victorian england, orphan, child's point of view, child abuse, street kid, friendship, social decay, danger, society, life is a bitch, youth, injustice ...
Time:
victorian era, 19th century, 1830s
Place:
england, london, europe
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, Family
Country: Canada
Duration: 60 min.
TV show
Story:
A coming-of-age story about an outsider who, against all odds and numerous challenges, fights for love and acceptance and for her place in the world. The series centers on a young orphaned girl in the late 1890’s, who, after an abusive childhood ...
Style:
compassionate, touching, sincere, realistic, emotional ...
Audience:
teens, family friendly, teen drama
Plot:
friendship, orphan, teenage life, small town, coming of age, feminism, child's point of view, family relations, children's home, society, school, parents and children ...
Time:
19th century, victorian era, 1800s, 1890s
Place:
canada
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, Family
Country: Canada, West Germany, USA
Duration: 100 min.
TV show
Story:
At the turn of the century on Prince Edward Island, Matthew Cuthbert and his sister Marilla decide to take on an orphan boy as help for their farm. But they get an unexpected jolt when they're mistakenly sent a girl instead: Anne Shirley. ...
Style:
touching, sentimental, period piece, emotional, humorous ...
Audience:
family outing, kids, teens, family friendly, chick flick ...
Plot:
adoption, orphan, imagination, teaching the ways of the world, teenage love, coming of age, countryside, anne of green gables, love and romance, foster home, young heroes, best friend ...
Time:
1900s, edwardian era, victorian era, 1800s, year 1985 ...
Place:
canada, america
Is relevant?
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Family, Fantasy
Country: UK, Germany, Luxembourg
Duration: 98 min.
Story:
A tale about two young boys, Prosper and Bo, who flee to Venice after being orphaned and dumped in the care of a cruel auntie. Hiding in the canals and alleyways of the city, the boys are befriended by a gang of young urchins and their enigmatic ...
Style:
touching, feel good, semi serious, exciting, detective ...
Audience:
kids, teens, family outing, pre-teens
Plot:
escapades, friendship, orphan, imaginary, magic, mischievous children, police, youth, young heroes, abuse, rejuvenation, siblings relations ...
Time:
2000s, year 2006, 21st century
Place:
italy, venice
Is relevant?
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Family, Fantasy
Country: USA, UK, New Zealand, India
Duration: 102 min.
Story:
For years, old wood carver Mr. Meacham has delighted local children with his tales of the fierce dragon that resides deep in the woods of the Pacific Northwest. To his daughter, Grace, who works as a forest ranger, these stories are little more than ...
Style:
fairy tale, sweet, compassionate, touching, sentimental ...
Audience:
family outing, family friendly, kids, girls' night
Plot:
dragon, orphan, boy, children, magic, boy girl friendship, childhood, friendship, hospital, car crash, fire breathing dragon, family life ...
Time:
year 2016, future, 80s
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, Family
Country: Denmark, Sweden
Duration: 93 min.
Story:
While out and about tending to his herd, young shepherd Larus meets a mysterious little girl named Tinke. Quickly realizing that the girl is alone, Larus brings Tinke some food and slowly builds a friendship with her. Tinke, whose parents died ...
Style:
captivating, realistic, sincere, touching, serious ...
Audience:
family outing
Plot:
orphan, children, family relations, friendship, hopes, friends, destiny, human nature, coming of age, girl, teenage girl, shepherd ...
Time:
19th century, 1850s
Place:
denmark, europe
Is relevant?
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 94 min.
Story:
Set on an island off the coast of New England in the summer of 1965, Moonrise Kingdom tells the story of two twelve-year-olds who fall in love, make a secret pact, and run away together into the wilderness. As various authorities try to hunt them ...
Style:
atmospheric, feel good, sentimental, cute, cult classic ...
Audience:
date night, kids, teens, family friendly, teen drama
Plot:
coming of age, boy scout, children, adolescence, first love, camp, youth, island, summer camp, orphan, search party, childhood ...
Time:
60s, year 2012, 20th century, year 1965, 2010s
Place:
new england, rhode island, nebraska, usa, england ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Comedy, Family, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 101 min.
Story:
Identical 9-year-olds from very different backgrounds: orphaned Amanda and wealthy Alyssa meet at summer camp and decide to switch places -- and play matchmaker between Alyssa's dad, Roger, and the kind social worker who cares for Amanda.
Style:
sweet, feel good, funny, humorous, touching ...
Audience:
kids, chick flick, girls' night, family outing, teens ...
Plot:
twins, mischievous children, children, summer camp, adoption, single father, orphan, single parent, tomboy, parents and children, childhood, wedding ...
Time:
90s
Place:
new york, manhattan new york city, london
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 126 min.
Story:
Homer is an orphan who was never adopted, becoming the favorite of orphanage director Dr. Larch. Dr. Larch imparts his full medical knowledge on Homer, who becomes a skilled, albeit unlicensed, physician. But Homer yearns for a self-chosen life ...
Style:
touching, heartbreaking, sentimental, visually stunning, sad ...
Audience:
teens, date night, kids
Plot:
abortion, coming of age, orphan, adoption, childhood, mentor protege relationship, storytelling, justice, love triangle, sexual attraction, unwanted pregnancy, sick child ...
Time:
1940s, 1920s, year 1999, 90s, year 1943 ...
Place:
maine, usa, new england, atlantic ocean, north america ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 96 min.
Story:
Rejected by her lover, the only man left in Cheryl's life is the orphaned nephew she has raised as her own son. She'll stop at nothing to keep Billy with her. When her plans misfire, she is swept up into an insane frenzy that means death ...
Style:
slasher, psychological, disturbing, grindhouse, psychotronic ...
Audience:
teens
Plot:
orphan, basketball, male nudity, athlete, cheerleader, caught having sex, attic, homosexual, serial killer, homosexuality, high school, hairy chested man ...
Time:
year 1982, 80s
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: France, Belgium, Germany
Duration: 118 min.
Story:
In 1942, the young Jewish girl Misha, her Russian mother Gerusha and her German father Reuven hide from the Germans in a small house in Ardennes, Belgium. Misha is very connected to her mother that advises her that if one day a person comes to her ...
Style:
touching, realistic, serious, uplifting, bleak ...
Plot:
wolf, world war two, survival, orphan, feral child, human animal relationship, little girl, forest, young heroes, danger, obsessive quest, wilderness ...
Place:
belgium, germany, europe, ukraine, brussels
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: Russia
Duration: 90 min.
Story:
Set in 2002, an abandoned 5-year-old boy living in a rundown orphanage in a small Russian village is adopted by an Italian family.
Style:
sentimental, harsh, inspirational, touching, realistic ...
Plot:
children, orphan, youth, orphanage, boy, escape, coming of age, adoption, drinking, friendship, adolescence, family relations ...
Time:
year 2005, year 2002, 2000s, 70s, 21st century
Place:
russia, soviet union, italy, europe, tokyo
Is relevant?
43K
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Family, Musical
Country: USA
Duration: 118 min.
Story:
Ever since her parents left her as a baby, little Annie has led a hard-knock life with her calculating foster mother, Miss Hannigan. However, all that changes when hard-nosed billionaire and mayoral candidate Will Stacks takes her in on the ...
Style:
emotional, touching, feel good, teen, sincere ...
Audience:
kids, family outing, teens, chick flick, family friendly ...
Plot:
adoption, father daughter relationship, foster child, orphan, hopes, rags to riches, music, parents and children, rich and poor, friends, broadway, kids and family ...
Time:
2010s, 1930s, 21st century
Place:
usa, new york, harlem
Is relevant?
348K
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Mystery
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 126 min.
Story:
Orphaned and alone except for an uncle, Hugo Cabret lives in the walls of a train station in 1930s Paris. Hugo's job is to oil and maintain the station's clocks, but to him, his more important task is to protect a broken automaton and ...
Style:
touching, visually appealing, period piece, visually stunning, fairy tale ...
Audience:
family outing, family friendly, kids, girls' night, teens ...
Plot:
steampunk, orphan, friendship, filmmaking, boy, childhood, street kid, longing, robot, harry potter, magical, destiny ...
Time:
year 2011, post world war one, 20th century, year 1931, 1930s ...
Place:
paris france, france, madagascar, iran, europe
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
Genre: Adventure, Family, Fantasy, Romance
Country: Hungary, UK, France, Australia, USA, New Zealand
Duration: 103 min.
Story:
When 13 year old Maria Merryweather's father dies, leaving her orphaned and homeless, she is forced to leave her luxurious London life to go and live with Sir Benjamin, an eccentric uncle she didn't know she had, at the mysterious Moonacre ...
Style:
fairy tale, feel good, period piece, sentimental, captivating ...
Audience:
family outing, kids, teens, teen fantasy, pre-teens
Plot:
imaginary kingdom, young heroes, orphan, imaginary, teenage life, family relations, youth, curses spells and rituals, rivalry, magic spell, estate, heroes ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 114 min.
Story:
After a distastrous first date for caterer Holly and network sports director Messer, all they have is common is a dislike for each other and their love for their goddaughter Sophie. But when they suddenly become all Sophie has in this world, Holly ...
Style:
touching, romantic, rom com, entertaining, cute ...
Audience:
chick flick, teens, date night, girls' night, adult
Plot:
adoption, baby, love story, initially antagonists, unlikely couple, parenthood, love and romance, opposites attract, enemies to lovers, godparent, romantic friendship, love ...
Time:
2010s, 21st century
Place:
usa, atlanta georgia, hawaii, new jersey, san francisco
Is relevant?
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 114 min.
Story:
When his loyal longtime partner, a widower, is killed in the line of duty and leaves behind three young children, Artie Lewis (Michael Keaton), a dedicated New York City cop and his wife, Rita (Rene Russo), decide to take the kids in. But the lives ...
Style:
exciting, emotional, intense, suspenseful, serious ...
Audience:
girls' night, teens
Plot:
justice, father daughter relationship, orphan, drug dealer, partner, murder, family relations, law enforcement, cop, drug dealing, fighting crime, working undercover ...
Time:
year 1991, 90s
Place:
new york, south america, usa
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, History
Country: Ireland, Denmark, UK, Spain
Duration: 94 min.
Story:
William Franklin is a teacher who was born in Ireland and moved to the United States only to repatriate in 1939 after his leftist political views cause him to lose his job. Franklin becomes the first non-cleric instructor at St. Jude's, a ...
Style:
disturbing, thought provoking, bleak, serious, sincere ...
Plot:
child abuse, juvenile delinquency, abuse, boarding school life, corporal punishment, gay rape, punishment, dedicated educator, child rape, boyhood, reformatory, orphanage ...
Time:
1930s, year 1939
Place:
ireland, europe, spain
Is relevant?
44K
Genre: Drama, Family, Musical
Country: UK
Duration: 153 min.
Story:
Musical adaptation of Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist, a classic tale of an orphan who runs away from the workhouse and joins up with a group of boys headed by the Artful Dodger and trained to be pickpockets by master thief Fagin.
Style:
visually appealing, sentimental, social, dark, terrifying ...
Audience:
kids, toddlers, family outing, girls' night, pre-teens ...
Plot:
orphan, broadway, charles dickens, child, children, dance, street kid, runaway, happy ending, dancing, dog, shipwreck ...
Time:
19th century, 1800s, year 1968, 1900s, victorian era ...
Place:
london, england, europe, britain
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
Genre: Drama
Country: Kazakhstan, Russia, Estonia, Finland, Belarus
Duration: 110 min.
Story:
Anya, a young academic raised in an orphanage, is on the cusp of success when she’s accused of drug possession. While in limbo hiding from the police, she hits the road with Kristina, another orphan several years Anya’s junior, in search of her ...
Style:
touching, sincere, road movie, serious, fairy tale ...
Plot:
orphan, teenage life, odd couple, friends, false accusation, obsessive quest, escapades, friendship, young girl, kids in trouble, car accident, little girl ...
Time:
21st century
Place:
eastern europe, europe, russia, kazakhstan
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, Family, Fantasy
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 101 min.
Story:
A young British girl born and reared in India loses her neglectful parents in an earthquake. She is returned to England to live at her uncle's castle. Her uncle is very distant due to the loss of his wife ten years before. Neglected once again, ...
Style:
costume drama, touching, feel good, atmospheric, sentimental ...
Audience:
kids, family outing, family friendly, chick flick, pre-teens ...
Plot:
childhood, countryside, orphan, girl, garden, friendship, beautiful scenery, mansion, little girl, sick child, children, old mansion ...
Time:
19th century, victorian era, edwardian era, 90s, year 1993 ...
Place:
india, england, liverpool, eastern europe, africa ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, Family, Romance, Western
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min.
Story:
Missie three years later: being a single mother after her husband Willie was shot during a poker scuffle. She and Maddy move back in with her parents Clark and Marty. She finds a new home, and finds a new teaching position that she settles right ...
Style:
saga, serious, touching, sentimental, sex comedy ...
Audience:
family friendly
Plot:
orphan, hopes, family relations, starting over, social relations, optimism, love and romance, single parent, fall in love, parents and children, small town, death in the family ...
Time:
19th century, 1800s
Place:
usa
Is relevant?
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy
Country: USA, Germany
Duration: 108 min.
Story:
Three wealthy children's parents are killed in a fire. When they are sent to a distant relative, they find out that he is plotting to kill them and seize their fortune. This movie is extremely alarming, an expression which here means "a ...
Style:
gothic, fairy tale, offbeat, dark comedy, visually stunning ...
Audience:
kids, family outing, teens, family friendly, pre-teens ...
Plot:
children, orphan, death in the family, child in peril, danger, dishonesty, steampunk, child, boy, siblings relations, destiny, nobility ...
Time:
year 2004, victorian era, 1940s
Place:
peru
Is relevant?
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Family
Country: USA
Duration: 106 min.
Story:
A recently-widowed, science fiction writer considers whether to adopt a hyper-imaginative 6-year-old abandoned and socially-rejected boy who says he's really from Mars.
Style:
sweet, touching, sentimental, feel good, humorous ...
Audience:
kids, family outing
Plot:
adoption, father son relationship, orphan, childhood trauma, imagination, writers, friendship, parenthood, youth, alien, children, single father ...
Time:
year 2007, 21st century
Place:
california
Is relevant?
8K
Genre: Drama, Family
Country: Germany, Switzerland, France
Duration: 111 min.
Story:
Heidi, is an eight-year-old Swiss orphan who is given by her aunt to her mountain-dwelling grandfather. She is then stolen back by her aunt from her grandfather to live in the wealthy Sesemann household in Frankfurt, Germany as a companion to Klara, ...
Style:
sincere, scenic, psychological, contemplative, touching ...
Audience:
kids, family outing
Plot:
orphan, friendship, grandfather granddaughter relationship, kindness, children, salvation, female protagonist, death of mother, grandmother granddaughter relationship, royal family, found footage, strong female character ...
Time:
victorian era
Place:
alps, germany, swiss alps, switzerland, europe
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, Family, Music
Country: USA
Duration: 93 min.
Story:
Ethan Bortnick plays the leading role as Nathan,a young boy who's separated from his mother when she goes missing during a trip to Japan to help after the tsunami. The movie explores issues like homelessness, military family life and adoption. ...
Style:
touching, serious, realistic, sincere, feel good ...
Audience:
family outing, teens
Plot:
orphan, tsunami, boarding school, single parent, prodigy, musician, family relations, estrangement, boarding school life, hopes, foster child, concert ...
Time:
year 2011, 21st century
Place:
japan, detroit
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
