Breaking the Waves
7.8
“Love is a mighty power.”
In a small, conservative Scottish village, an oilman is paralyzed in an accident. His wife, who prayed for his return, feels guilty; even more, when he urges her to have sex with another.
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Your review
Cast
33 people
Emily Watson
Bess McNeill
Known for
Chernobyl
Corpse Bride
Stellan Skarsgård
Jan Nyman
Known for
Chernobyl
Andor
Katrin Cartlidge
Dodo McNeill
Known for
From Hell
Naked
Jean-Marc Barr
Terry
Known for
The Big Blue
Europa
Adrian Rawlins
Dr. Richardson
Known for
Chernobyl
The White Princess
Jonathan Hackett
Priest
Also in
Heaven on Earth
Whistle
Sandra Voe
Mother
Known for
Howards End
Immortal Beloved
Udo Kier
Sadistic Sailor
Known for
Hunters
Blade
Mikkel Gaup
Pits
Known for
Pathfinder
Free Jimmy
Roef Ragas
Pim
Also in
The Polish Bride
Grijpstra & de Gier
Robert Robertson
Chairman
Also in
Taggart
Doctor Who
Phil McCall
Grandfather
Also in
Bottle Boys
Snakes and Ladders
Lars von Trier Director · Joachim Holbek Composer Robby Müller Cinematographer
Worldwide gross $23M · Budget $7.5M · United States release November 13, 1996
Box office
Budget
$7,500,000
Worldwide gross
$23,000,000
Gross vs. budget
3.1×
Production
Zentropa Entertainments
Production
SVT Drama
Production
Nordisk Film & TV Fond
Production
La Sept Cinéma
Production
VPRO
Production
Media Investment Club
Production
Trust Film Svenska
Production
Liberator Productions
Production
Argus Film Produktie
Production
Northern Lights
Production
DR TV
Production
Villealfa Filmproductions
Production
YLE
Production
ZDF
Production
Det Danske Filminstitut
Production
Det Danske Filmstudie
Studio
Trust Film
Production
Denmark · France · Netherlands · Norway · Sweden · Finland · Iceland · United Kingdom · Italy · Belgium · Germany · Switzerland · United States
Produced in
Amor omnie
Working title
Languages
Original language
Danish
Spoken on screen
English
Release dates
France · May 13, 1996
Premiere · Cannes Film Festival
Denmark · July 5, 1996
Theatrical
United States · November 13, 1996
Theatrical
United States
October 4, 1996 · Premiere · New York Film Festival
October 18, 2014 · Premiere · Chicago International Film Festival
Australia
February 27, 1997 · Theatrical
Brazil
February 7, 1997 · Theatrical
Czechia
September 11, 1997 · Limited theatrical · Art cinemas
November 24, 2022 · Theatrical · Re-release
France
October 9, 1996 · Theatrical
October 15, 2000 · Premiere · Cherbourg-Octeville Festival of Irish and British Film
April 1, 2018 · Premiere · Lyon Festival Hallucinations Collectives
July 12, 2023 · Theatrical · Re-release (Restored Version)
Germany
October 3, 1996 · Theatrical
Greece
December 6, 1996 · Theatrical
September 12, 2003 · Theatrical · Re-release
Italy
October 11, 1996 · Theatrical
Netherlands
August 29, 1996 · Theatrical
July 22, 2007 · TV · Nederland 2
May 12, 2009 · Physical · DVD
September 15, 2013 · Premiere · Film by the Sea Film Festival
Portugal
January 31, 1997 · Theatrical
South Korea
December 7, 1996 · Theatrical
June 21, 2019 · Theatrical · Re-release
Sweden
July 5, 1996 · Theatrical
United Kingdom
October 18, 1996 · Theatrical
August 4, 2023 · Theatrical · Re-release (Restored Version)
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