The Broken Circle Breakdown

'The Broken Circle Breakdown' tells the love story between Elise and Didier. She has her own tattoo shop, he plays the banjo in a band. It is love at first sight, in spite of major differences. He talks, she listens. He is a dedicated atheist, although at the same time a naïve romantic. She has a cross tattooed in her neck, even though she has both feet firmly on the ground.

Their happiness is complete after their little girl Maybelle is born. Unfortunately, Maybelle, at six years old, becomes seriously ill. Didier and Elise respond in very different ways. But Maybelle does not leave them any choice. Didier and Elise will have to fight for her together.

Will you get through something like that if you are so different? Or will love let you down if you need it most?

'The Broken Circle Breakdown' is an intense melodrama, full of passion and music. About how love can conquer fate, and sometimes not.

• Veerle Baetens
• Johan Heldenbergh
• Nell Cattrysse

• Geert Van Rampelberg
• Nils de Caster
• Robby Cleiren
• Bert Huysentruyt
• Jan Bijvoet

• director of photography Ruben Impens
• editing Nico Leunen
• sound Jan Deca
• Michel Schöpping
• production design Kurt Rigolle
• 1st AD Ann Lauwerys
• Diana Dreesen
• original soundtrack The Broken Circle Breakdown Band o.l.v. Bjorn Eriksson
• production manager Tomas Coppejans
• line producer Johan Van den Driessche
• co-producer Topkapi Films

• shooting location Belgium
• original version Dutch
• shooting period 18 July - 8 September 2011
• support ARRI Alexa, colour
• shooting location 111 min
• format 2:35
• financial partners Flanders Audiovisual Fund, Netherlands Film Fund, Eurimages, Kinepolis Film Distribution, Lumière, VTM, Belgacom, btech, Connectimmo, Vanden Avenne Izegem, Kinepolis Multi, Free Record Shop Belgium, G. De Wilde, Game Mania, Tux, Saltoo
• theatrical distribution Belgium Kinepolis Film Distribution
• dvd-distribution Belgium Lumière
• release Belgium 10 October 2012
• release The Netherlands 13 December 2012
• release Germany/Austria 25 April 2013
• release Switzerland 23 May 2013
• release France 28 August 2013
• release Sweden 06 September 2013
• artwork Natasja Billiau

• International Filmfestival Ghent (opening film) 9-20 Oct 2012
• Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin (Berlinale)- Panorama Special 7-17 Feb 2013
• CPH:PIX Copenhagen 11-24 Apr 2013
• Tribeca Film Festival 17-28 Apr 2013
• Seattle International Film Festival 16 May-09 Jun 2013
• Sydney Film Festival 5-6 Jun 2013
• Festroia - International Film Festival of Setubal 7-16 Jun 2013
• Festival du Film de Cabourg 12-16 Jun 2013
• European Film Festival Palic 13-19 Jun 2013
• Brussels Film Festival 19-26 Jun 2013
• Karlovy Vary Film Festival 28 Jun-6 Jul 2013
• Festival International du Film de la Rochelle 28 Jun-8 Jul 2013
• Festival Paris Cinéma 28 Jun-9 Jul 2013
• New Zealand International Film Festival: Auckland 18 Jul-04 Aug 2013
• Fantasia International Film Festival 18 Jul-7 Aug 2013
• New Zealand International Film Festival: Wellington 26 Jul-13 Aug 2013
• Two Riversides 27 Jul-4 Aug 2013
• Festival Ciné-Pause 31 Jul-4 Aug 2013
• New Zealand International Film Festival: Christchurch 01-18 Aug 2013
• New Zealand International Film Festival: Dunedin 08-15 Aug 2013
• Eastern Township Film Festival 15-18 Aug 2013
• Norwegian Film Festival 15-22 Aug 2013
• Sarajevo International Film Festival 08-25 Aug 2013
• New Zealand International Film Festival: Gore 14-25 Aug 2013
• New Zealand International Film Festival: Palmerston North 15 Aug-01 Sep 2013
• Espoo Ciné 16-25 Aug 2013
• New Zealand International Film Festival: Hamilton 21 Aug-15 Sep 2013
• Zadar Festival 24-30 Aug 2013
• New Zealand International Film Festival: Nelson 28 Aug-15 Sep 2013
• Film Festival Oostende 6-14 Sep 2013
• New Zealand International Film Festival: Tauranga 12 Sep-02 Oct 2013
• Haifa International Film Festival 19-28 Sep 2013
• European Film Festival Iceland 19-29 Sept 2013
• Festival de Cinéma de la ville de Québec 19-29 Sept 2013
• Sensoria 26-29 Sept 2013
• Edmonton International Film Festival 26 Sept-5 Oct 2013
• Festival do Rio 26 Sep-10 Oct 2013
• Milwaukee Film Festival 26 Sept-10 Oct 2013
• Festival International du Film Francophone de Namur 27 Sept-4 Oct 2013
• Scottsdale International Film Festival 4-8 Oct 2013
• The Blue Mountains Film Festival 3-7 Oct 2013
• New Zealand International Film Festival: Hawke's Bay 6 Oct-3 Nov 2013
• Hamptons International Film Festival 10-14 Oct 2013
• Hawaii International Film Festival 10-20 Oct 2013
• Santa Fe Independent Film Festival 16-20 Oct 2013
• Indie Cork Film Festival 16-20 Oct 2013
• International Film Festival Molodis 19-27 Oct 2013
• Flyway Film Festival 17-20 Oct 2013
• Philadelphia Film Fest 17-27 Oct 2013
• Cyprus International Film Festival 18-28 Oct 2013
• Abu Dhabi Film Festival 24 Oct-02 Nov 2013
• Minsk International Film Festival - Listapad 1-8 Nov 2013
• Thessaloniki International Film Festival 1-10 Nov 2013
• Leiden International Film Festival 1-10 Nov 2013
• Ciné World Film Festival 1-11 Nov 2013
• Starz Denver Film Festival 1-11 Nov 2013
• International Film Festival Bratislava 6-12 Nov 2013
• Rehoboth Beach International Film Festival 7-11 Nov 2013
• Seville European Film Festival 8-16 Nov 2013
• Tapei Golden Horse Film Festival 8-28 Nov 2013
• Key West Film Festival 13-17 Nov 2013
• Osaka European Film Festival 13-25 Nov 2013
• Black Nights Film Festival 15 Nov-1 Dec 2013
• Tbilisi International Film Festival 2-8 Dec 2013
• Palm Springs Film Festival 3-13 Jan 2014
• Cinoche Festival du Film International de Baie-Comeau 17-26 Jan 2014
• NCBS Bluegrass Film Festival 19 & 24-26 Jan 2014
• Ramdam Festival 21-28 Jan 2014
• Santa Barbara International Film Festival 30 Jan-09 Feb 2014
• Sedona International Film Festival 22 Feb-02 Mar 2014
• Cinema Mundi International Film Festival 26 Feb-5 Mar 2014
• Sofia International Film Festival 6-16-30 Mar 2014
• Middle of the Map Fest 16-20 Apr 2014
• Fetsival del Cinema Europeo 28 Apr-03 May 2014
• Vlaams Film Festival Utrecht 08-11 May 2014

• Best Flemish Film (coronation Marnixring South-East Flanders) Jekino Youth Awards 2012
• Cinéfemme Awards 2012
• Best Film De Morgen Poll 2012
• Most Favorite Film vlaamsefilm.be Poll 2012
• Best Flemish Actress (Veerle Baetens) vlaamsefilm.be Poll 2012
• Most Beautiful Film Poster vlaamsefilm.be Poll 2012
• Most Beautiful Film Kiss vlaamsefilm.be Poll 2012
• Most Beautiful Soundtrack vlaamsefilm.be Poll 2012
• 2nd place Most Talked About Event vlaamsefilm.be Poll 2012
• 2nd place Film Personality (Veerle Baetens) vlaamsefilm.be Poll 2012
• 3rd place Discovery of the Year (Nell Cattrysse) vlaamsefilm.be Poll 2012
• Best Film Humo's Pop Poll 2012
• Best National Actress Humo's Pop Poll 2012
• Label Europa Cinemas Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin (Berlinale) 2013
• Panorama Audience Award Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin (Berlinale) 2013
• Best Social Film 2012 Perspectief Film Festival
• Best National Film Cutting Edge Awards 2013
• Best Flemish Screenplay 2013 Screenplay Award Scriptwriters Guild
• Audience Award CPH:PIX Copenhagen 2013
• Best Actress Tribeca Film Festival 2013
• Best Screenplay Tribeca Film Festival 2013
• Fipresci Prize 29.Festroia - International Film Festival of Setubal
• Signis Prize 29.Festroia - International Film Festival of Setubal
• Best Film - Gold Dolphin 29.Festroia - International Film Festival of Setubal
• Best Performance (The Broken Circle Bluegrass Band) Radio 2 - Zomerhit 2013
• Audience Award Norwegian Film Festival
• Label des Ambassadeurs de Vodkaster
• Ensor Best Film Filmfestival Oostende
• Ensor Best Director Filmfestival Oostende
• Ensor Best Female Actor Filmfestival Oostende
• Ensor Best D.O.P. Filmfestival Oostende
• Ensor Best Music Filmfestival Oostende
• Ensor Best Editing Filmfestival Oostende
• Ensor Best Costume Design Filmfestival Oostende
• Ensor Best Art Direction Filmfestival Oostende
• Industry Award Filmfestival Oostende
• Bronze Audience Award Best International Film Fantasia International Film Festival
• Audience Award Festival de Cinéma de la ville de Québec
• Jury Grand Prize Festival de Cinéma de la ville de Québec
• Silver Yowie Award for Best Feature The Blue Mountains Film Festival
• Princess Dialta Alliata di Montereale Award for Best Film Hawaii International Film Festival
• Audience Grand Prix for Best Film Seville European Film Festival
• Best Foreign Feature Film Audience Awards Key West Film Festival
• Audience Award Black Nights Film Festival
• Best Foreign Language Film The Washington DC Area Critics Association
• European Actress European Film Awards 2013
• LUX European Parliament Film Prize 2013
• FIPRESCI Prize for Best Foreign-Language Film of the Year Palm Springs Film Festival
• Ramdam of the Year: Best Film 2013 Ramdam festival
• Prix Ciné-Centre pour le Meilleur Film du Festival Cinoche Festival du Film International de Baie-Comeau
• Prix Radio-Canada – CBSI Côte-Nord pour le Meilleur Scénario Cinoche Festival du Film International de Baie-Comeau
• Prix Centre Manicouagan pour la Meilleure Musique Cinoche Festival du Film International de Baie-Comeau
• Satellite Award for Best International Film International Press Academy (IPA)
• Best Foreign Film César 2014
• Best Foreign Film Ecran Total - César: Le Vote des Exploitants
• Audience Award for Best Foreign Film Sedona International Film Festival
• Directors' Choice Award for Best Foreign Film Sedona International Film Festival
• Best Movie Jimmies 2014, the Jim Awards

• LUX Film Prize Official Selection July 2013
• Filmfestival Oostende: Ensor Best Film September 2013
• Filmfestival Oostende: Ensor Best Director September 2013
• Filmfestival Oostende: Ensor Best Screenplay (Carl Joos & Felix van Groeningen) September 2013
• Filmfestival Oostende: Ensor Best Male Actor (Johan Heldenbergh) September 2013
• Filmfestival Oostende: Ensor Best Female Actor (Veerle Baetens) September 2013
• Filmfestival Oostende: Ensor Best D.O.P. (Ruben Impens) September 2013
• Filmfestival Oostende: Ensor Best Music (Bjorn Eriksson) September 2013
• Filmfestival Oostende: Ensor Best Editing (Nico Leunen) September 2013
• Filmfestival Oostende: Ensor Best Costume Design (Ann Lauwerys) September 2013
• Filmfestival Oostende: Ensor Best Art Direction (Kurt Rigolle) September 2013
• EFA People's Choice Awards September 2013
• SABAM/ARTES Awards november 2013
• Best European Film European Film Awards 2013
• Best European Director: Felix van Groeningen European Film Awards 2013
• Best European Actress: Veerle Baetens European Film Awards 2013
• Best European Actor: Johan Heldenbergh European Film Awards 2013
• Best European Screenwriter: Carl Joos & Felix van Groeningen European Film Awards 2013
• Motion Picture International Film International Press Academy
• runners up Mercedez-Benz Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature Palm Springs Film Festival
• Best Foreign Film 2013 Denver Film Critics Society
• International Film 2014 International Press Academy Sattelite Awards
• Foreign Language Film Oscars 2014

The man behind the soundtrack of 'The Broken Circle Breakdown' is Bjorn Eriksson, a guitar and dobro-player with a lot of experience in bluegrass music. A few years ago he became known as the guitar-player of a.o. Zita Swoon.
For the soundtrack of ‘The Broken Circle Breakdown’ Eriksson reformed existing songs with new arrangements, and also composed new songs. In 2013 he was nominated for a Music Industry Award in the category 'Best Musician 2012'.
Getting more familiar with americana, next to Johan Heldenbergh, Veerle Baetens became more and more a fan. It almost seems like their both raw, marked, flawless, and touching voices are made for each other. Both actors turn out to be real ambassadors of the bluegrass music. The full band include topmusicians like Bjorn Eriksson, Nils De Caster (violin, mandoline, vocals), Karl Eriksson (banjo, vocals), Thomas De Smet (bas) and Bert Van Bortel (guitar, madoline, vocals).

• www.thebrokencirclebreakdown.be
• https://www.facebook.com/TheBrokenCircleBreakdown