Historical History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...

or period drama is a film genre in which stories are based on historical events and famous persons. Some historical dramas attempt to accurately portray a historical event or biography, to the degree that the available historical research will allow. Other historical dramas are fictionalised tales that are based on an actual person and their deeds. Due to the sheer volume of films included in this genre and in the interest of continuity, this list is primarily focused on films pertaining to the history of East Asia, Central Asia, and India. For films pertaining to the history of Near Eastern and Western civilisation, please refer to

list of historical period drama films and series set in Near Eastern and Western civilization The historical drama or period drama is a film genre in which stories are based upon historical events and famous people. Some historical dramas are docudramas, which attempt an accurate portrayal of a historical event or biography, to the degr ...

. The films on this page are divided into regions, and within each region the films are listed chronologically by subject matter.

Central Asia

South Asia

Indian subcontinent history

Pakistani history

Sri Lankan history

East Asia

Chinese and Taiwanese history

Japanese history

Samurai cinema and Jidai-geki films

''Jidai-geki'' 時代劇 is a genre of

film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

, television, and theatre in

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

. Literally "period dramas", they are most often set during the Edo period of Japanese history, from 1603 to 1868. Some, however, are set much earlier—''

Portrait of Hell , also titled ''A Story of Hell'' and ''The Hell Screen'', is a 1969 Japanese ''jidaigeki'' film directed by Shirō Toyoda starring Tatsuya Nakadai and Kinnosuke Nakamura. The film is based on the short story ''Hell Screen'' by Ryūnosuke Akutagaw ...

'', for example, is set during the late Heian period—and the early

Meiji era The is an era of Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868 to July 30, 1912. The Meiji era was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people moved from being an isolated feudal society at risk of colonization b ...

is also a popular setting. ''Jidaigeki'' show the lives of the samurai, farmers, craftsmen, and merchants of their time. ''Jidaigeki'' films are sometimes referred to as chambara movies, a word meaning "sword fight", though chambara is more accurately a subgenre of ''jidaigeki'', which equates to historical period drama. In Japan, the term , also commonly spelled "''chambara''", meaning "sword fighting" movies,Hill (2002). denotes the genre called samurai cinema in English, and is roughly equivalent to western

cowboy A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the '' vaquer ...

and swashbuckler films. ''Jidaigeki'' may refer to a story set in a historical period, though not necessarily dealing with a samurai character or depicting swordplay. ''Jidaigeki'' rely on an established set of

dramatic conventions Dramatic conventions are the specific actions and techniques the actor, writer or director has employed to create a desired dramatic effect/style. A ''dramatic convention'' is a set of rules which both the audience and actors are familiar with a ...

including the use of makeup, language, catchphrases, and plotlines.

Gendai-geki films

Gendai-geki ''Gendai-geki'' ( 現代劇) is a genre of film and television or theater play in Japan. Unlike the ''jidai-geki'' genre of period dramas, whose stories are set in the Edo period, ''gendaigeki'' stories are contemporary dramas set in the mode ...

'' ( 現劇) is a genre of

and television or theater play in

. Unlike the '' jidai-geki'' genre of period dramas, whose stories are set in the Edo period, ''gendaigeki'' stories are contemporary dramas set in the modern world.

Korean and South Korean history

Southeast Asia

Philippine history

Mainland and Maritime Southeast Asia

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:List Of Historical Drama Films Of Asia Historical, Asia Historical, Asia Historical, Asia Historical, Asia Historical, Asia Historical, Asia Histortical Asia Asia Historical History of Sri Lanka on film Films set in Sri Lanka