Following its invitation for the International Film Festival of Berlin, word is out that Felix van Groeningen's The Broken Circle Breakdown has been sold to Germany and Austria. Pandora Film, one of Germany’s most important distributors, acquired the rights to release the intense melodrama in both countries. The film will have a German release in April, thereby launching its international career.
Felix van Groeningen's fourth feature film is to premiere internationally in Berlin on 8 February. The film will screen in the Berlinale’s Panorama, the same section that invited Michaël R. Roskam’s Bullhead in 2011. Since its release in Belgian theatres on 10 October, The Broken Circle Breakdown has notched up 370,000 admissions in its home territory. In the meantime, the film’s soundtrack still maintains a firm first place in the Ultratop, six weeks after its release.
The Broken Circle Breakdown tells the story of Elise and Didier. She has her own tattoo parlour, he is a Flemish cowboy who plays the banjo in a band. Although in many respects they are as alike as day and night, their characters match perfectly and the arrival of their daughter Maybelle makes their happiness complete. Until one day, at the age of six, the little girl becomes seriously ill. The Broken Circle Breakdown is an emotional rollercoaster full of passion and music. About how love can conquer fate – and sometimes not.
Felix van Groeningen and Carl Joos wrote the screenplay of the film, based on the play by the same name. Ruben Impens signed for the photography, while Nico Leunen edited the film. Dirk Impens of Menuet (Turquaze, Code 37) produced The Broken Circle Breakdown with the support of the Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF).