Opening film of the Lars Von Trier theatrical retrospective, Enduring Provocations. Newly restored on Curzon Home Cinema.
Bess McNeill (Emily Watson) lives a calm and quaint Christian life amongst the Scottish Highlands. Despite the unease of her local community and church, she marries the love of her life, a Norwegian oil-rig worker, Jan (Stellan Skarsgård), who is often away working for long periods of time. Lonely and besotted, Bess prays for his quick return. A wish that is granted when an accident occurs on the rig paralysing Jan. He is flown back to the Scottish mainland. A moving and uplifting but brutal assessment of love, faith, social pressure and human dignity. Breaking the Waves earned an Academy Award nomination for Emily Watson in her breakthrough role and demonstrated to the world the power of Lars von Trier’s filmmaking ability.
