Breaking the Waves
Why we chose it
Lars von Trier plunges into the dark waters of desire and religious ecstasy in search of the point where love becomes martyrdom. The result is a shockingly daring and emotionally extreme drama that questions the very notion of sainthood. Winner of the Grand Prix at Cannes.
Synopsis
In a strictly religious community in the Scottish Highlands, young Bess marries Jan, an oil rig worker. When he is left paralysed after an accident, he convinces her that sleeping with other men could help him recover. Bess obeys, turning her faith and devotion into an agonising ordeal that sets her on a collision course with her community’s morality.
Information
- Director
- Lars von Trier
- Cast
- Production year
- 1996
- Decade
- 1990s
- Duration
- 2h 33m
- Festivals & Awards
- Language
- English
- Country
- Denmark, Sweden, France, Netherlands, Norway, Iceland, Spain, United Kingdom
- Subtitles
- Greek, Polish
- Age rating
- 18+
Oscars
Nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Emily Watson)
1997
Cannes Film Festival
Grand Prize of the Jury
1996
César Awards
Best Foreign Film
1997
What others say
No reviews yet. Be the first to leave one!
Related
Get free cinema tickets
Our website uses Cookies
We use cookies to offer you the best possible experience on our site.
- Necessary cookies
- Analytics cookies
- Advertisement cookies