Here are the best A24 romance movies including my favourites, award winners, critically acclaimed and cult favourites.
WYALAN star rating explained:
- 5 stars – Highly enjoyed and would highly recommend as a must watch
- 4 stars – Enjoyed and would watch again in the future
- 3 stars – Glad I watched it once, but I’ll probably never watch it again
- 2 stars – Watched to the end, but I wouldn’t watch it again
- 1 star – DNF (did not finish)
Award-Winning
Moonlight (2016) – [Romance/Drama/Coming-of-Age]
For fans of: Call Me by Your Name, Pariah, Boyhood
Barry Jenkins’ poetic triptych won the Academy Award for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor (Mahershala Ali). The film traces Chiron’s journey through childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, exploring identity, intimacy, and silence. Naomie Harris and Trevante Rhodes deliver unforgettable performances. WYALAN Rating – 3/5
Aftersun (2022) – [Drama/Romance/Family]
For fans of: The Florida Project, Petite Maman, Columbus
Charlotte Wells’ debut won the BAFTA for Outstanding Debut and earned Paul Mescal an Oscar nomination. A father and daughter share a sun-drenched holiday, refracted through memory and melancholy. Frankie Corio’s performance anchors the emotional mystery.
Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022) – [Romance/Sci-Fi/Action]
For fans of: Eternal Sunshine, The Matrix, Scott Pilgrim
Michelle Yeoh stars in Daniels’ multiversal epic, which won seven Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Actress. Beneath the chaos lies a tender love story between Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan’s characters, spanning timelines and regrets. The film redefined genre storytelling with heart and invention. WYALAN Rating – 4.5/5
Room (2015) – [Drama/Romance/Survival]
For fans of: The Lovely Bones, The Road, The Deep End of the Ocean
Brie Larson won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role as a mother raising her son in captivity. Directed by Lenny Abrahamson and adapted from Emma Donoghue’s novel, the film balances trauma with resilience. Jacob Tremblay’s performance stunned critics and audiences alike.
Minari (2021) – [Drama/Romance/Family]
For fans of: The Farewell, The Tree of Life, 20th Century Women
Lee Isaac Chung’s semi-autobiographical film won the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at Sundance, with Youn Yuh-jung earning an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. A Korean-American family builds a life in rural Arkansas, with romantic tension simmering beneath economic strain. The storytelling is tender, layered, and deeply human.
More best A24 lists:
Best A24 Horror Movies ~ Best A24 Films
Critically Acclaimed
Past Lives (2023) – [Romance/Drama]
For fans of: In the Mood for Love, Before Sunrise, Columbus
Celine Song’s debut premiered at Sundance and Berlin, earning Oscar and BAFTA nominations. Greta Lee and Teo Yoo play childhood friends reunited decades later, navigating love, longing, and cultural distance. The film’s quiet ache and lyrical structure captivated critics. WYALAN Rating – 4.5/5
Lady Bird (2017) – [Coming-of-Age/Romance/Comedy]
For fans of: Frances Ha, Booksmart, Little Women
Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut earned five Oscar nominations and stars Saoirse Ronan as a restless teen in Sacramento. Romantic threads weave through friendships, family, and self-discovery. Laurie Metcalf’s performance adds emotional gravity. WYALAN Rating – 4.5/5
The Souvenir (2019) – [Drama/Romance/Autobiographical]
For fans of: An Education, Bright Star, The Dreamers
Joanna Hogg’s semi-autobiographical film stars Honor Swinton Byrne as a film student entangled in a toxic relationship. Tilda Swinton co-stars in this introspective, visually restrained narrative. Cannes-premiered and widely praised for its emotional precision.
The Souvenir Part II (2021) – [Drama/Romance/Meta]
For fans of: Synecdoche, New York, Bergman Island, 8½
The sequel follows Julie’s creative rebirth as she processes grief through filmmaking. Hogg’s direction becomes more playful and self-reflective, earning critical acclaim and BIFA nominations. The emotional arc deepens with artistic clarity.
Obvious Child (2014) – [Romantic Comedy/Drama]
For fans of: Frances Ha, Knocked Up, The Big Sick
Jenny Slate stars in Gillian Robespierre’s Sundance breakout, blending abortion, romance, and stand-up comedy. The film was praised for its honesty, humour, and feminist perspective. Slate’s performance is raw and magnetic.
The Spectacular Now (2013) – [Teen Romance/Drama]
For fans of: The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, Say Anything
Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley play high schoolers navigating love and emotional baggage in James Ponsoldt’s adaptation of Tim Tharp’s novel. Sundance-premiered and praised for its realism and vulnerability. The performances feel lived-in and unvarnished.
The Lobster (2016) – [Romance/Dystopian/Absurdist]
For fans of: Eternal Sunshine, Being John Malkovich, Dogtooth
Yorgos Lanthimos directs Colin Farrell in a world where singles must find a partner or be turned into animals. Cannes Jury Prize winner and BAFTA-nominated, the film blends deadpan humour with existential dread. Rachel Weisz adds romantic tension to the surreal premise. WYALAN Rating – 4.5/5
Gloria Bell (2019) – [Romance/Drama/Late-Life]
For fans of: 45 Years, Enough Said, The Wife
Julianne Moore stars in Sebastián Lelio’s English-language remake of his own film Gloria, portraying a woman rediscovering love and independence. The performance is luminous, the tone bittersweet. Critics praised its emotional nuance.
The Lovers (2017) – [Romance/Drama/Comedy]
For fans of: Marriage Story, The Squid and the Whale, The Kids Are All Right
Debra Winger and Tracy Letts play a married couple rekindling romance while cheating on each other. Azazel Jacobs directs with dry wit and emotional restraint. The film was praised for its performances and tonal balance.
Cult Favourites
Swiss Army Man (2016) – [Romance/Surreal/Adventure]
For fans of: Eternal Sunshine, The Fall, Harold and Maude
Paul Dano plays a stranded man who befriends a flatulent corpse (Daniel Radcliffe) in this Sundance-premiered oddity. Directed by Daniels (Everything Everywhere All At Once), the film blends absurdity with emotional longing. Beneath the fart jokes lies a tender story of loneliness and connection.
American Honey (2016) – [Romance/Drama/Road Movie]
For fans of: Fish Tank, Nomadland, The Beach
Andrea Arnold’s Cannes Jury Prize winner follows Sasha Lane and Shia LaBeouf across America in a van full of misfit magazine sellers. The romance is raw, impulsive, and tangled in youth and escape. The film pulses with music, movement, and emotional immediacy.
Hot Summer Nights (2018) – [Romance/Crime/Coming-of-Age]
For fans of: Cruel Intentions, Alpha Dog, The Place Beyond the Pines
Timothée Chalamet stars as a teenager swept into drug deals and forbidden love during a sweltering Cape Cod summer. Elijah Bynum’s debut is stylish, moody, and narratively bold. The tone shifts from nostalgic to noir.
Ginger & Rosa (2013) – [Drama/Romance/Coming-of-Age]
For fans of: Atonement, The Diary of Anne Frank, Lady Bird
Elle Fanning and Alice Englert play inseparable friends in 1960s London, torn apart by politics and betrayal. Directed by Sally Potter and praised for its emotional complexity, the film explores romantic tension and ideological awakening. Timothy Spall and Annette Bening round out the cast.
Morris From America (2016) – [Coming-of-Age/Romance/Comedy]
For fans of: Dope, The Edge of Seventeen, Mid90s
Craig Robinson stars as a single dad raising his son in Germany, where young Morris navigates hip-hop dreams and first love. Sundance-premiered and warmly received for its charm and cultural nuance. The romance is sweet, awkward, and formative.
Lean on Pete (2018) – [Drama/Romance/Survival]
For fans of: The Rider, Wendy and Lucy, The Mustang
Charlie Plummer plays a boy who bonds with a racehorse and flees across the American West. Andrew Haigh’s film is quiet, devastating, and laced with romantic longing and loss. Steve Buscemi and Chloë Sevigny add grit and grace.
Equals (2016) – [Sci-Fi/Romance/Dystopian]
For fans of: Gattaca, THX 1138, Never Let Me Go
Kristen Stewart and Nicholas Hoult fall in love in a society where emotion is outlawed. Directed by Drake Doremus, the film is visually sleek and emotionally restrained. The romance simmers beneath sterile surfaces.
Priscilla (2023) – [Biopic/Romance/Drama]
For fans of: Jackie, Spencer, Elvis
Cailee Spaeny stars as Priscilla Presley in Sofia Coppola’s Venice-premiered portrait of love, isolation, and identity. Jacob Elordi plays Elvis with quiet menace. The film focuses on emotional nuance over spectacle.
Love Lies Bleeding (2024) – [Romance/Thriller/Queer]
For fans of: Bound, Thirst, You Were Never Really Here
Kristen Stewart and Katy O’Brian star in Rose Glass’s queer thriller about obsession, bodybuilding, and betrayal. Premiered at Sundance and praised for its bold tone and visual intensity. The romance is feral, sweaty, and dangerous.
Zola (2021) – [Drama/Romance/Crime]
For fans of: Hustlers, Spring Breakers, Tangerine
Based on a viral Twitter thread, Janicza Bravo’s film stars Taylour Paige and Riley Keough as dancers caught in a chaotic road trip. The romantic tension simmers beneath stylised visuals and social media satire. Sundance-premiered and critically praised for its voice and verve.
The Sky Is Everywhere (2022) – [Romance/Teen/Grief]
For fans of: Paper Towns, The Fault in Our Stars, A Ghost Story
Lennie navigates grief and new love after her sister’s death in this visually expressive adaptation of Jandy Nelson’s novel. Directed by Josephine Decker and distributed by Apple TV+, the film blends fantasy and emotion. The romance is fragile, blooming through sorrow.
The Farewell (2019) – [Drama/Romance/Family]
For fans of: Minari, Lady Bird, The Joy Luck Club
Awkwafina stars in Lulu Wang’s Sundance hit about a family hiding a terminal diagnosis from their matriarch. Romantic subplots thread through cultural tension and generational bonds. The film won Best Feature at the Independent Spirit Awards.
Parthenope (2025) – [Romantic Drama/Poetic]
For fans of: The Great Beauty, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Call Me by Your Name
Paolo Sorrentino’s upcoming film follows a woman’s emotional journey through Naples, blending romance with memory and myth. Early buzz from Cannes suggests visual splendour and lyrical storytelling. The cast includes Gary Oldman and Celeste Dalla Porta.
We Live In Time (2024) – [Romantic Drama/Time-Shift]
For fans of: One Day, The Time Traveler’s Wife, Past Lives
Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield star in this anticipated romance spanning decades and emotional milestones. Directed by John Crowley (Brooklyn), the film explores love through illness, memory, and time. The tone promises intimacy and heartbreak.