| Winter's Bone (2010) | 7.1 | |
| Poldark (2015) | 8.3 | |
| Precious (2009) | 7.3 | |
| Queen of Katwe (2016) | 7.4 | |
| Children of Heaven (1997) | 8.2 |
Poverty movies and TV shows
The list contains the best, new and most relevant poverty movies ordered by relevance. The recommendation service has sorted out realistic, touching, serious, social, bleak and emotional films and TV shows about / with poverty, life is a bitch, society, coming of age, family relations, childhood, death, mentor, storytelling and runaway plots mostly in Drama, Crime and Thriller genres shot in USA, France, UK and other countries.
3207
TOP 10 movies tagged as poverty: Capernaum (2018), Lilya 4-Ever (2002), Angela's Ashes (1999), Between Us (2009), Katie Says Goodbye (2016), Frozen River (2008), Children of Heaven (1997), Winter's Bone (2010), Nobody Knows (2004), Queen of Katwe (2016).
Best films
New films
List of poverty movies
122K
Genre: Drama
Country: Lebanon, USA, France, Cyprus, Qatar, UK
Duration: 126 min.
Story:
Zain, a 12-year-old boy scrambling to survive on the streets of Beirut, sues his parents for having brought him into such an unjust world, where being a refugee with no documents means that your rights can easily be denied.
Style:
sad, social, depressing, rough, cynical ...
Audience:
toddlers
Plot:
poverty, refugee, traumatic childhood, slum, misery, neglected child, child abuse, low lives, child neglect, child protagonist, starving child, child labor ...
Time:
future, 2010s
Place:
lebanon, beirut lebanon, middle east, nebraska, sarajevo ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: Sweden, Denmark
Duration: 109 min.
Story:
Lilya lives in poverty and dreams of a better life. Her mother moves to the United States and abandons her to her aunt, who neglects her. Lilya hangs out with her friends, Natasha and Volodya, who is suicidal. Desperate for money, she starts working ...
Style:
sad, bleak, depressing, harsh, brutal ...
Audience:
teens, pre-teens, teen drama, adult
Plot:
poverty, human trafficking, prostitution, friendship, sexual abuse, prostitute, life is a bitch, suicide, teenage prostitution, teenage life, depression, rape ...
Time:
year 2002
Place:
denmark, estonia, europe, russia, eastern europe ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Biography, Drama
Country: Ireland, UK, USA
Duration: 145 min.
Story:
Based on the best selling autobiography by Irish expat Frank McCourt, Angela's Ashes follows the experiences of young Frankie and his family as they try against all odds to escape the poverty endemic in the slums of pre-war Limerick. The film ...
Style:
sad, touching, depressing, compassionate, serious ...
Audience:
toddlers, teen drama
Plot:
poverty, ira, injustice, parents and children, youth, family relations, depression, life is a bitch, death, children, rich and poor, human nature ...
Time:
1940s, year 1999, 90s, 1930s, 20th century ...
Place:
ireland, new york, brooklyn new york city, europe, usa ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 80 min.
Story:
Abruptly abandoned by her husband in a country completely foreign to her, Colombian native Mariana (Paola Mendoza) struggles to take care of herself and her two young children on the unforgiving streets of New York City. Sebastian Villada, Laura ...
Style:
touching, realistic, serious
Plot:
poverty, immigrant, family relations, urban setting, human spirit, starting over, family problems, working class, hopes, life is a bitch, american dream, society ...
Time:
21st century
Place:
latin america, new york, colombia, usa
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
Genre: Drama
Country: USA, France
Duration: 88 min.
Story:
In order to best save the necessary funds to leave her desolate town and start anew, Katie prostitutes herself to a handful of regulars that frequent the diner she waitresses at. As she draws near to saving the funds she believes her new life ...
Style:
sexy, erotic, captivating, touching, psychological ...
Plot:
poverty, rape, love at first sight, female nudity, sex in car, working class, prostitution, waitress, single mother, employer employee relationship, first love, trailer home ...
Place:
san francisco, arizona
Is relevant?
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 97 min.
Story:
Ray Eddy, an upstate New York trailer mom, is lured into the world of illegal immigrant smuggling. Broke after her husband takes off with the down payment for their new doublewide, Ray reluctantly teams up with Lila, a smuggler, and the two begin ...
Style:
melancholic, bleak, thought provoking, suspenseful, atmospheric ...
Plot:
poverty, single parent, native american reservation, winter, survival, native american, smuggling, working class, christmas, courage, parenthood, u.s. canadian border ...
Time:
year 2008, 2000s, 21st century
Place:
new york, canada, new york state, usa, quebec ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, Family, Sport
Country: Iran
Duration: 89 min.
Story:
Zohre's shoes are gone; her older brother Ali lost them. They are poor, there are no shoes for Zohre until they come up with an idea: they will share one pair of shoes, Ali's. School awaits...
Style:
emotional, realistic, sincere, touching, sad ...
Audience:
kids, teens, family outing
Plot:
childhood, poverty, life, school, children, unemployment, family drama, running, coming of age, siblings relations, brother sister relationship, islam ...
Time:
90s, year 1997, 20th century
Place:
iran, middle east, persia, tehran iran, maghreb ...
Is relevant?
157K
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 100 min.
Story:
17 year-old Ree Dolly sets out to track down her father, who put their house up for his bail bond and then disappeared. If she fails, Ree and her family will be turned out into the Ozark woods. Challenging her outlaw kin's code of silence and ...
Style:
depressing, atmospheric, harsh, dark, disturbing ...
Audience:
teens, adult, teen drama
Plot:
poverty, small town, missing person, female protagonist, family in crisis, bail, rural setting, life is a bitch, down on your luck, coming of age, family crisis, uncle niece relationship ...
Time:
year 2010, 2010s, 2000s, 21st century
Place:
missouri, usa, california
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: Japan
Duration: 141 min.
Story:
In a small Tokyo apartment, twelve-year-old Akira must care for his younger siblings after their mother leaves them and shows no sign of returning.
Style:
touching, depressing, atmospheric, gloomy, bleak ...
Audience:
kids, teens
Plot:
poverty, childhood, children, young kid, child abandonment, dysfunctional family, brother brother relationship, innocence lost, responsibility, neglect, jailbait, family relations ...
Time:
year 2004, 2000s, 21st century
Place:
japan, tokyo, east asia, asia, california ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Biography, Drama, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 124 min.
Story:
A young girl overcomes her disadvantaged upbringing in the slums of Uganda to become a Chess master.
Style:
inspirational, sincere, captivating, disturbing, emotional ...
Audience:
teens, kids, family outing, family friendly
Plot:
poverty, chess, child protagonist, widow, rise to the top, mentor, small town, biopic, mother daughter relationship, contests and competitions, team, african american ...
Time:
year 2016, 2000s, 2010s, 1950s, future ...
Place:
uganda, africa, indiana
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 93 min.
Story:
Agnes and her two sisters struggle through a day in a home overrun by gamblers, thieves, and johns.
Style:
realistic, serious, emotional, rough, dark ...
Audience:
teen drama
Plot:
coming of age, interracial rape, rape, poverty, defloration, dysfunctional family, female protagonist, pimp, family in crisis, sister sister relationship, teenage girl, prostitute ...
Time:
70s, 20th century
Place:
iowa, usa
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: UK, France, Belgium
Duration: 100 min.
Story:
A middle aged carpenter, who requires state welfare after injuring himself, is joined by a single mother in a similar scenario.
Style:
emotional, political, disturbing, realistic, compassionate ...
Plot:
poverty, working class, carpenter, bureaucracy, homeless, single mother, friendship, heart attack, self discovery, immigrant, social services, welfare ...
Time:
2010s, year 2016, 90s
Place:
united kingdom, england, northern england, britain
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: Japan
Duration: 121 min.
Story:
After one of their shoplifting sessions, Osamu and his son come across a little girl in the freezing cold. At first reluctant to shelter the girl, Osamu’s wife agrees to take care of her after learning of the hardships she faces. Although the ...
Style:
independent film, sexy, sexual, art house, cerebral ...
Audience:
date night, teens, adult
Plot:
poverty, shoplifting, father son relationship, social realism, poor family, beach, supermarket, child abduction, shoplifter, family drama, husband wife relationship, orphan ...
Time:
near future, 2010s
Place:
tokyo, east asia, japan, sarajevo, nebraska ...
Is relevant?
1.1M
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Country: South Korea
Duration: 132 min.
Story:
All unemployed, Ki-taek's family takes peculiar interest in the wealthy and glamorous Parks for their livelihood until they get entangled in an unexpected incident.
Style:
suspense, black comedy, psychological thriller, exciting, captivating ...
Audience:
family friendly, adult
Plot:
poverty, wealthy family, working class, social satire, class differences, scam, wealth, basement, plot twist, rich snob, driver, unemployment ...
Time:
2010s, year 2019
Place:
south korea, east asia, seoul, asia, india
Is relevant?
120K
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 110 min.
Story:
Set in Harlem in 1987, Claireece "Precious" Jones is a 16-year-old African American girl born into a life no one would want. She's pregnant for the second time by her absent father; at home, she must wait hand and foot on her mother, ...
Style:
depressing, emotional, inspirational, bleak, rough ...
Audience:
teens, teen drama, adult
Plot:
rape, dysfunctional family, coming of age, poverty, teacher, sexual abuse, illiteracy, african american, domestic violence, aids, child abuse, parents and children ...
Time:
2000s, 20th century, year 1987, 80s
Place:
new york, america, harlem, new york city, usa, harlem ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: Hungary, France, Germany, Switzerland
Duration: 155 min.
Story:
A monumental windstorm and an abused horse's refusal to work or eat signals the beginning of the end for a poor farmer and his daughter.
Style:
slow cinema, thought provoking, bleak, black and white, serious ...
Plot:
horse, poverty, survival, destiny, nihilism, desperation, philosopher, everyday life, family relations, human nature, isolation, dying ...
Time:
19th century, distant future, turn of the century, year 2011, 90s ...
Place:
turin italy, europe, seattle
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min.
Story:
Quickie-mart employee Melissa and paraplegic Richie are very much in love. Supported only by Melissa’s small hourly wage, they are nevertheless thrilled to learn that Melissa is pregnant. Then their situation deteriorates, and their tenuous ...
Style:
realistic, serious, rough, sincere, sentimental ...
Plot:
pregnancy, poverty, unwanted pregnancy, voyeur, couples, oral sex, family problems, life is a bitch, couple relations, down on your luck, working class, introspection ...
Time:
21st century
Place:
florida, usa
Is relevant?
Genre: Crime, Drama, Romance
Country: UK, France, USA, India
Duration: 120 min.
Story:
Jamal Malik is an impoverished Indian teen who becomes a contestant on the Hindi version of ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?’ but, after he wins, he is suspected of cheating.
Style:
touching, uplifting, motivational, realistic, feel good ...
Audience:
date night, chick flick, teens, teen drama, adult
Plot:
poverty, childhood, destiny, orphan, rags to riches, against the odds, love, street life, society, journey, true love, life is a bitch ...
Time:
year 2008, 2000s, 20th century, 90s, year 2005 ...
Place:
india, mumbai india, asia, taj mahal, britain
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
Genre: Drama
Country: UK, France, Belgium
Duration: 101 min.
Story:
A story exploring the issue of hardship in modern-day Britain through a young couple scraping to get by in a casual jobs market. A hard-up delivery driver and his carer wife are pushed to breaking point as they struggle to keep their family afloat ...
Style:
social, political, disturbing, realistic, psychological ...
Plot:
working class, poverty, social realism, father daughter relationship, delivery man, teenage boy, father son relationship, job interview, husband wife relationship, couples, adaptation, life is a bitch ...
Time:
year 1984, year 1996, year 2008, 2010s
Place:
united kingdom
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: Spain
Duration: 93 min.
Story:
A single mother struggles to pay the rent and put food on the table for her 10 year old son.
Style:
social, serious, touching, realistic, suspense ...
Plot:
poverty, single mother, parents and children, single parent, dysfunctional family, ambition, working class, bittersweet, frustration, friendship, female protagonist, life philosophy ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: Czech Republic, UK, France, USA
Duration: 130 min.
Story:
Oliver Twist the modern filmed version of Charles Dickens bestseller, a Roman Polanski adaptation. The classic Dickens tale, where an orphan meets a pickpocket on the streets of London. From there, he joins a household of boys who are trained to ...
Style:
emotional, atmospheric, sentimental, costume drama, period piece ...
Audience:
family outing, teens, kids
Plot:
orphan, redemption, childhood, poverty, child abuse, boyhood, boy, injustice, orphanage, chess, children, corporal punishment ...
Time:
victorian era, 19th century, middle ages, 1800s, year 2005 ...
Place:
london, england, europe
Is relevant?
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
Country: USA
Duration: 93 min.
Story:
Hushpuppy, an intrepid six-year-old girl, lives with her father, Wink in 'the Bathtub', a southern Delta community at the edge of the world. Wink’s tough love prepares her for the unraveling of the universe – for a time when he’s no ...
Style:
emotional, independent film, sad, surreal, harsh ...
Audience:
family outing, kids
Plot:
poverty, climate change, children, global warming, magic realism, father daughter relationship, childhood, coming of age, flood, single father, crab, child protagonist ...
Time:
year 2012, 2010s, 21st century
Place:
louisiana, new orleans, southern usa, usa, tokyo ...
Is relevant?
60K
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: Russia
Duration: 140 min.
Story:
In a Russian coastal town, Kolya is forced to fight the corrupt mayor when he is told that his house will be demolished. He recruits a lawyer friend to help, but the man's arrival brings further misfortune for Kolya and his family.
Style:
depressing, bleak, atmospheric, thought provoking, emotional ...
Plot:
lawyer, adultery, corruption, politics, courtroom, poverty, small town, corrupt mayor, alcohol abuse, drunk, alcoholism, small town life ...
Time:
2010s, year 2014, 21st century
Place:
russia, soviet union
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
24K
Genre: Adventure, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: UK, Brazil, Germany
Duration: 114 min.
Story:
Set in Brazil, three kids who make a discovery in a garbage dump soon find themselves running from the cops and trying to right a terrible wrong.
Style:
road movie, touching, sentimental, entertaining, suspenseful ...
Audience:
kids, teens
Plot:
poverty, children, slum, favela, mischievous children, young heroes, coming of age, friends, corruption, child in peril, teenager, youth ...
Time:
year 2014, 21st century
Place:
rio de janeiro, latin america, brazil, south america
Is relevant?
6K
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: Vietnam, France, Hong Kong
Duration: 123 min.
Story:
Follows a young cyclo (bicycle cab) driver on his poverty-driven descent into criminality in modern-day Ho Chi Minh City. The boy's struggles to scratch out a living for his two sisters and grandfather in the mean streets of the city lead to ...
Style:
disturbing, stylized, bleak, controversial, neo noir ...
Plot:
poverty, poet, rickshaw, vietnam war, prostitution, gangster, gang, coming of age, youth, minimal dialogue, drug, violence ...
Time:
year 1995, 90s
Place:
saigon, vietnam, asia, hong kong
Is relevant?
Genre: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 117 min.
Story:
A struggling salesman takes custody of his son as he's poised to begin a life-changing professional career.
Style:
inspirational, emotional, sentimental, uplifting, motivational ...
Audience:
family outing, chick flick, teens, family friendly
Plot:
homeless, life, human spirit, rags to riches, life philosophy, success, single father, poverty, rise to the top, family drama, life is a bitch, biopic ...
Time:
80s, year 2006, 2010s, 20th century
Place:
usa, california, bay area, san francisco, america
Is relevant?
276K
Genre: Drama
Country: Iran, France, Australia
Duration: 123 min.
Story:
A married couple are faced with a difficult decision - to improve the life of their child by moving to another country or to stay in Iran and look after a deteriorating parent who has Alzheimer's disease.
Style:
emotional, realistic, heartbreaking, crying, talky ...
Audience:
teens
Plot:
divorce, muslim, poverty, alzheimer's disease, marriage, court, marital problem, hospital, religion, islam, justice, pregnancy ...
Time:
year 2011, 2010s, 21st century
Place:
iran, persia, nebraska, maghreb, middle east ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: UK, France
Duration: 94 min.
Story:
James Gillespie is 12 years old. The world he knew is changing. Haunted by a secret, he has become a stranger in his own family. He is drawn to the canal where he creates a world of his own. He finds an awkward tenderness with Margaret Anne, a ...
Style:
disturbing, bleak, crying, depressing, art house ...
Audience:
teens
Plot:
children, poverty, boy, friendship, coming of age, bully, neighbor, urban decay, rat, strike, british, death of child ...
Time:
70s, year 1999, 90s, 20th century
Place:
glasgow scotland, scotland, britain, nebraska
Is relevant?
14K
Genre: Action, Drama, History
Country: Ireland, Luxembourg, Belgium, USA, France
Duration: 100 min.
Story:
It’s 1847 and Ireland is in the grip of the Great Famine that has ravaged the country for two long years. Feeney, a hardened Irish Ranger who has been fighting for the British Army abroad, abandons his post to return home and reunite with his ...
Style:
costume drama, suspense, exciting, suspenseful, bleak ...
Plot:
poverty, deserter, revenge, starvation, british colonialism, manhunt, british army, hunger, firing squad, death, desperation, brutality ...
Time:
19th century, 1840s, victorian era
Place:
ireland, iraq, britain, afghanistan
Is relevant?
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: Ireland, USA
Duration: 92 min.
Story:
When Agnes Browne's husband died, she discovered something amazing... Herself.
Style:
sentimental, emotional, humorous, melancholic, touching ...
Audience:
chick flick, girls' night
Plot:
poverty, working class, children, terminal illness, friendship, death, justice, family drama, best friend, happy ending, single father, childhood ...
Time:
20th century, year 1999, 60s, year 1967
Place:
ireland, dublin ireland, europe, boston
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
