<P> The historical 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 degree that the available historical research will allow . Other historical dramas are fictionalized tales that are based on an actual person and their deeds, such as Braveheart, which is loosely based on the 13th - century knight William Wallace's fight for Scotland's independence . </P> <P> 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 Near Eastern and Western civilization . For films pertaining to the history of East Asia, Central Asia, and South Asia, please refer also to the list of Asian historical drama films . </P>

Genre of film or play based on an reenactment of real life events