Emotional power is one of the most difficult and complex aspects of film-making to succeed in. Nothing else matters. At times of need, she has conversations with a God who seems wholly real and present to her, full of the strictness and rebuke that her cheerless elders—including her mother (Sandra Voe), who sides with the church against her daughter—have filled her head with all her life. Breaking the Waves is a 1996 drama film directed and co-written by Lars von Trier and starring Emily Watson. Von Trier had already made an impressive mark with a trilogy of dystopian thrillers—The Element of Crime (1984), Epidemic (1987), and the mesmerizing Europa (1991)—and the first four chapters of his darkly humorous medical epic The Kingdom (1994) had moved from Danish television to cult acclaim in American theaters. But the deeper, truer reason is rooted in the fundamental theme of this richly philosophical romance, which was inspired by von Trier’s wish to make a film in which no one is “bad,” everyone is “good,” and when trouble flares anyway, it’s because incompatible concepts of “good” can violently conflict with one another. The Minister [40] Curzon Artificial Eye currently occupy distribution rights in the UK and have released the film on DVD and on Blu-ray on 10 November 2014. I hadn't thought of that. Father, why aren't you with me? With his deeply political but unclassifiable debut feature, Med Hondo set out to establish a transformational presence for global African cinema and to accelerate the emergence of a new Africa. It’s full of adventure and laughs, but the. Active 7 years, 8 months ago. I don't know. Oilman Jan is paralyzed in an accident. Breaking the Waves marked an important change in focus for Lars von Trier. : Driven by her fervent love for him, she decides she must do absolutely anything he wants or needs, and so she becomes a sort of apathetic hooker in a grim parody of the genuine love life she and Jan once enjoyed. Bess McNeill The epilogue of Breaking the Waves is impossible to describe—it must literally be seen to be believed—but it grows organically and coherently from everything that’s come before it, bringing the film to a bold and brilliant conclusion. Bess McNeill [10] Von Trier chose the Isle of Skye because it was popular with 19th century English romantic painters and writers. You're not a kid anymore. The director of Breaking the Waves, Lars Von Trier, intentionally created a Christ figure in Bess. Within Beth’s twisted reasoning it appears Jan’s state of health is directly affected by the success or not of her sexual encounters. Others may see in Bess’s sacrifice reason to rethink how they understand the cross and how that event reconciles us with God. Bess McNeill Have I? | Co-produced by Opera Ventures, Scottish Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Théâtre National de l’Opéra Comique and in association with The Adelaide Festival, Breaking The Waves is a contemporary opera based on Lars Von Trier’s 1996 film of the same name. Bess McNeill Set in the Scottish Highlands in the early 1970s, Breaking the Waves tells the story of Bess McNeill, a religious young woman with a deep love for her husband Jan, a handsome oil rig worker. : Jan does return, his neck broken in an accident aboard the rig. His name is Jan. Helena Bonham Carter was von Trier's first choice to play the role of Bess, but she dropped out just before shooting was to start, reportedly due to the large amount of nudity and sexuality required by the role. Oilman Jan is paralyzed in an accident. With Emily Watson, Stellan Skarsgård, Katrin Cartlidge, Jean-Marc Barr. I love you no matter what is in your head! Bess McNeill Jan does return, his neck broken in an accident aboard the rig. Jan Nyman Bess McNeill Karen (Bodil Jørgensen) in The Idiots becomes the most committed member of a group that plays at mental retardation as a means of subverting social norms, and the Czech immigrant Selma (Björk) in Dancer in the Dark (2000) comes to America, devotes herself to saving her son from a hereditary disease, and meets a tragic death. The next day, Jan is severely injured in an industrial accident and is flown back to the mainland. Breaking the Waves also made international stars out of Emily Watson and Stellan Skarsgård, who bring off incredibly demanding roles that could easily have drowned less dazzling talents. Von Trier claimed that it took him five years to write the film and get financial backing, and he began to lose enthusiasm for it right after filming began. This is why he marries the vulnerable, simpleminded Bess despite the holier-than-thou hostility of her community and church; it’s why he devotes himself to her happiness; and when he realizes that his paralysis has cut off the bodily pleasures of their marriage, it’s why he puts her into the arms of other men, feeling that whatever happens physically, her loyalty and steadfastness will keep her spiritually true to him. : [as God]  Can you think of anything of real value that the outsiders have brought with them? : I am with you Bess. View production, box office, & company info. When Jan becomes paralyzed in an off-shore accident, Bess's marital vows are put to the test as he encourages her to seek other lovers and return to his bedside to tell him of her sexual activities.