Breaking the Waves

In a small and religious coastal town, a simple, devoutly religious Scottish woman, Bess McNeill, finds a partner in an oil rig worker from Norway, Jan Nyman. However, the relationship grows strained when Nyman breaks his neck in a horrific work accident on the rig and becomes paralysed. Unable to perform sexually and suffering mentally from the accident as well, Jan convinces Bess to have sex with other men, which she comes to believe is God's work. bc went on to screen many of Lars von Trier's subsequent works, establishing him as one of the most unforgettable directors among cinephiles.

The film uses handheld camerawork, textured film images and documentary-like techniques to portray its central character.