Variety's Ten Euro Directors to Watch 2013 / The Broken Circle Breakdown / Netherlands, Belgium 2012
Sophisticated editing brings out the story’s complex emotional undercurrents in this bluegrass-infused Flemish meller about two lovers. A huge hit at home, this crowdpleasing tearjerker with a terrific soundtrack scooped up the Panorama Audience Award and Europa Cinemas Label at the Berlinale.
Ups and downs are constantly juxtaposed in this bluegrass-infused Flemish meller about two lovers. As in helmer Felix van Groeningen’s previous pic, The Misfortunates, sophisticated cutting brings out the story’s complex emotional undercurrents. A huge hit at home last fall, this crowdpleasing tearjerker with a terrific soundtrack sold widely after its festival bow in Berlin, where it scooped up the Panorama Audience Award and Europa Cinemas Label. In a hospital in the Flemish city of Ghent, Didier (Johan Heldenbergh), a singer and banjo player in a Belgian bluegrass band, and his lover, Elise (Veerle Baetens), a tattoo-parlor owner, are told by doctors their 6-year-old daughter has cancer. To counterbalance what must certainly rank high on the protags’ list of worst days ever, the pic rewinds to the moment they were just getting to know each other and life seemed full of possibilities. Winner, Best Script, Best Actress, Tribeca Film Festival.
111 min / Color, DCP
Director Felix van Groeningen
/ Screenplay Carl Joos, Felix van Groeningen podle divadelní hry / based on the theatre play The Broken Circle Breakdown
/ Dir. of Photography Ruben Impens
/ Music The Broken Circle Breakdown Band
/ Editor Nico Leunen
/ Producer Dirk Impens
/ Production Menuet
/ Cast Veerle Baetens, Johan Heldenbergh, Nell Cattrysse
/ Contact The Match Factory
Felix van Groeningen (b. 1977, Ghent, Belgium) graduated in visual arts from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts (KASK) in Ghent. He had outstanding success with The Misfortunates (De helaasheid der dingen, 2009) both at home and abroad, receiving the Golden Tulip for his efforts, the Istanbul IFF’s highest award. The film was also screened at KVIFF in 2010. On his four features, including debut Steve + Sky (2004) and With Friends Like These (Dagen zonder lief, 2007), he cooperated with producer Dirk Impens and cameraman Ruben Impens. He is also interested in theater, writing a number of plays for Ghent’s Kung Fu theater troupe and often directing as well.
The Match Factory
Domstrasse 60, 50668, Cologne
Germany
Phone: +49 221 539 7090
E-mail: [email protected]
Felix van Groeningen
Film Director
Brigitte Suárez
Sales Agent
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