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The Broken Circle Breakdown
Film poster
Directed by	Felix van Groeningen
Screenplay by	Carl Joos Felix van Groeningen
Based on	The Broken Circle Breakdown by Johan Heldenbergh Mieke Dobbels
Produced by	Dirk Impens Frans van Gestel Laurette Schillings Arnold Heslenfeld
Starring	Johan Heldenbergh Veerle Baetens
Cinematography	Ruben Impens
Edited by	Nico Leunen
Music by	Bjorn Eriksson
Production company	Menuet Topkapi Films
Distributed by	Kinepolis Film Distribution
Release date	10 October 2012 (2012-10-10)
Running time	111 minutes
Country	Belgium
Language	Dutch
Box office	$6 million

The Broken Circle Breakdown (also known as Alabama Monroe) is a 2012 Belgian drama film directed by Felix van Groeningen with a screenplay by Carl Joos and van Groeningen. It is based on the stage play of the same name by Johan Heldenbergh and Mieke Dobbels.

The film garnered critical acclaim and was selected as the Belgian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 86th Academy Awards, and was on the nominated shortlist. The film was the winner of Best Foreign Film at the 39th César Awards. It was the winner of the 2013 Lux Prize.

Plot

The film is set in Ghent, in the Flemish Region of Belgium, and chronicles the lives of Didier (Johan Heldenbergh) and Elise (Veerle Baetens) over seven years as they fall in love through their passion for bluegrass music. Didier meets Elise in her tattoo parlour and invites her to the performance of his bluegrass band. They soon fall in love. When Didier discovers Elise has a wonderful voice, she joins their band as a singer. After a few months, Elise discovers she is unexpectedly pregnant. Even though it comes as a shock at first, the couple is happy. Their daughter Maybelle is born and for a few years, they live a happy life and have success with their band.

After her sixth birthday, Maybelle develops cancer and her health quickly deteriorates. She succumbs to it within a year. The death of Maybelle has a devastating effect on Didier and Elise's relationship and their lives. Didier focuses on scientism, especially after George W. Bush opposes embryonic stem cell research under pressure of creationists and the anti-abortion movement. Elise finds solace in spiritualism and reincarnation. The two grow further and further apart until Elise attempts suicide. She is rushed to the hospital but she is found braindead. Didier agrees to stop the artificial respiration. Finally the band plays a song around Elise's deathbed.

Cast

• Johan Heldenbergh as Didier Bontinck / Monroe
• Veerle Baetens as Elise Vandevelde / Alabama
• Nell Cattrysse as Maybelle
• Geert Van Rampelberg as William
• Nils De Caster as Jock
• Robbie Cleiren as Jimmy
• Bert Huysentruyt as Jef
• Jan Bijvoet as Koen
• Blanka Heirman as Denise

Production

The film was shot from 18 July to 8 September 2011 in Belgium.

Soundtrack

The bluegrass soundtrack includes traditional songs as well as music composed for the film by Bjorn Eriksson. All the music in the band scenes is performed by the actors.

1. "Will the Circle Be Unbroken?" See also "Can the Circle Be Unbroken (By and By)"
2. "The Boy Who Wouldn't Hoe Corn" by Alison Krauss, Pat Brayer, Jerry Douglas, Dan Tyminski, Barry Bales, and Ron Block
3. "Dusty Mixed Feelings"
4. "Wayfaring Stranger"
5. "Rueben's Train"
6. "Country in My Genes"
7. "Further on Up The Road"
8. "Where Are You Heading, Tumbleweed?"
9. "Over in the Gloryland"
10. "Cowboy Man"
11. "If I Needed You"
12. "Carved Tree Inn"
13. "Sandmountain"
14. "Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us"
15. "Blackberry Blossom"

Reception

Critical response

The Broken Circle Breakdown has an approval rating of 83% on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 103 reviews, and an average rating of 7.30/10. The website's critical consensus states, "The Broken Circle Breakdown's reach occasionally exceeds its grasp, but overall, it's an intoxicating, finely wrought romance -- and one with a terrific soundtrack to boot". It also has a score of 70 out of 100 on Metacritic, based on 29 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

Boyd van Hoeij of Variety wrote: "Sophisticated cutting brings out the story’s complex emotional undercurrents, though "Breakdown’s" less convincingly scripted second half sputters more often than it shines." David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter wrote: "The non-linear structure works extremely well, making the drama a bracing emotional roller coaster of feel-good/feel-bad turns."

The Norwegian bluegrass group, Hayde Bluegrass Orchestra, cited the film as a major influence in their formation.

Accolades

See also

• List of Belgian submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
• List of submissions to the 86th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film
• Hayde Bluegrass Orchestra

References

1. "The Broken Circle Breakdown (2013)". JPBox-Office (in French). Retrieved 19 August 2021.
2. "Oscars: Belgium Nominates 'The Broken Circle Breakdown' for Foreign Language Category". The Hollywood Reporter. 24 September 2013. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
3. ^ "Oscars: Main nominations 2014". BBC News. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
4. ^ "France's Cesar Awards: 'Me, Myself and Mum' Wins Best Film". The Hollywood Reporter. 28 February 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
5. "LUX Prize 2013". European Parliament. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
6. "Pressbook – The Broken Circle Breakdown.pdf" (PDF). Retrieved 3 December 2013.
7. "The Broken Circle Breakdown(2012) Soundtracks". IMDb. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
8. ^ "The Broken Circle Breakdown highlights Belgian bluegrass". Bluegrass Today. 23 September 2013. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
9. "The Broken Circle Breakdown". Rotten Tomatoes.
10. "The Broken Circle Breakdown". Metacritic.
11. Hoeij, Boyd van (19 February 2013). "The Broken Circle Breakdown". Variety.
12. Rooney, David (12 February 2013). "The Broken Circle Breakdown: Berlin Review". The Hollywood Reporter.
13. Zimmerman, Lee (26 September 2019). "Bluegrass Beyond Borders: Norway's Hayde Bluegrass Orchestra taps traditions". Bluegrass Today. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
14. Lodge, Guy (7 January 2014). "2013 Denver Film Critics' Society nominations". HitFix. Hitfix Awards. Archived from the original on 7 January 2014. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
15. "'The Broken Circle Breakdown' Leads European Film Awards Nominations". Deadline Hollywood. PMC. 9 November 2013. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
16. "VOTE FOR YOUR FAVOURITE EUROPEAN FILM AND WIN A TRIP TO THE 26th EUROPEAN FILM AWARDS IN BERLIN!". Europeanfilmawards.eu. November 2013. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
17. "San Diego Film Critics Select Top Films for 2013". San Diego Film Critics Society. 11 December 2013. Archived from the original on 27 April 2017. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
18. "HERE ARE YOUR TFF 2013 AWARD WINNERS". Tribeca Film Festival. 25 April 2013. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
19. Tapley, Kristopher (8 December 2013). "'12 Years a Slave' and 'Her' lead the way with Washington D.C. critics nominations". HitFix. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
20. "The Broken Circle Breakdown wins 2013 LUX Prize". European Parliament. 11 December 2013. Retrieved 19 June 2018.

External links

• Official website
• The Broken Circle Breakdown at IMDb
• The Broken Circle Breakdown at Rotten Tomatoes
• The Broken Circle Breakdown at Box Office Mojo
• The Broken Circle Breakdown at Metacritic
• The Broken Circle Breakdown at AllMovie

• 2012 films
• 2012 drama films
• Belgian drama films
• Belgian independent films
• 2010s Dutch-language films
• Films about cancer
• Belgian films based on plays
• Films set in Belgium
• Films shot in Belgium
• Films shot in Ghent
• Films set in Ghent
• Best Foreign Film César Award winners
• Films directed by Felix van Groeningen
• 2010s Belgian films