Breaking the Waves
Synopsis
In the early 1970s a naive girl, Bess, living in a small community on the northwest coast of Scotland, falls in love with oil rig worker and man-of-the-world Jan. Despite local opposition they marry. Jan returns to the rig, while Bess counts the days to his homecoming, sure that their love is made in heaven, especially as she is convinced that she can mentally communicate with God. When an accident renders Jan paralysed, he is worried that Bess will cut herself off from normal life. Realizing that he will be bedridden, he persuades her that she will aid his recovery by giving herself to other men.
Credits
Director (1)
Production and distribution (4)
- Co-productions : Zentropa Entertainment France (ex Liberator Productions), Arte France Cinéma, Slot Machine
- Foreign production companies : Zentropa Entertainment, Trust Film Svenska, Argus Film Produktie, Memfis Film AB, SVT - Sveriges Television, Nordisk Film A/S
- Film exports/foreign sales : TrustNordisk
- French distribution : Les Films du Losange
Full credits (11)
- Screenwriters : Lars Von Trier, Peter Asmussen
- Director of Photography : Robby Muller
- Music Composer : Joachim Holbek
- Editor : Anders Refn
- Sound Recordist : Per Streit
- Costume designer : Manon Rasmussen
- Foreign producers : Peter Aalbaek Jensen, Peter Van Vogelpoel, Vibeke Windelov, Rob Langestraat
- Co-producer : Marianne Slot
- Press Attachés (film) : Eva Simonet, Isabelle De La Baume
- Production Designer : Karl Juliusson
- Still Photographer : Rolf Konow
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Media Gallery
Technical details
- Type : Feature film
- Genres : Fiction
- Sub-genre : Psychological drama
- Production language : English
- Coproducer countries : Denmark, Sweden, The Netherlands, France
- Original French-language productions : No
- Nationality : Minority French (Denmark, Sweden, The Netherlands, France)
- Production year : 1996
- French release : 09/10/1996
- Runtime : 2 h 38 min
- Current status : Released
- Visa number : 88.696
- Visa issue date : 15/10/1996
- Approval : Yes
- Production formats : 35mm
- Color type : Color
- Aspect ratio : CinemaScope
- Audio format : Dolby SRD
Box-office & releases
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International releases
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News & awards
Selections (6)
Awards (1)
About
"The international success of "Breaking the Waves" is mainly due to its own outstanding qualities. You can't manufacture a hit if the film doesn't have it. This amazing love story deeply touched its audiences, thanks of course to Lars Von Trier's directing and Emily Watson's superb performance. The 1996 Cannes Festival was a major factor in the film's career. The press and the public were knocked out by it, and it became an event that everyone felt strongly about - they either adored it or slammed it. The buzz saw to it that the film was sold worldwide, and with support from Media 2 we were able to help all the European distributors (paying for prints, etc.). The movie has made 600,000 admissions in France."
(Régine Vial - Les Films du Losange)
