# Breaking the Waves (1996)

> A fervent young bride turns love, prayer, and sexual sacrifice into a dangerous test of faith after her husband is paralyzed.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/movie/113

## Facts

- Runtime: 159 min
- Genres: Drama, Romance
- Director: Lars von Trier
- Cast: Emily Watson, Stellan Skarsgård, Katrin Cartlidge, Jean-Marc Barr, Adrian Rawlins, Jonathan Hackett, Sandra Voe, Udo Kier
- TMDB rating: 7.5/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115751/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: extreme
- Complexity: layered
- Violence: mild
- Mood: devastating, intimate, brooding, serious film night, arthouse cinema viewing

## Synopsis

A tale of love and sacrifice unfolds in a deeply religious community, where faith and desire collide.

## Movies like Breaking the Waves

- [Damage (1992)](https://ember.film/movie/6041)
- [Godland (2022)](https://ember.film/movie/884412)
- [Ordinary Love (2019)](https://ember.film/movie/412166)
- [Sorrow and Joy (2013)](https://ember.film/movie/112273)
- [Antichrist (2009)](https://ember.film/movie/10598)
- [Queen of Hearts (2019)](https://ember.film/movie/360064)
- [On Chesil Beach (2018)](https://ember.film/movie/259448)
- [The Commune (2016)](https://ember.film/movie/190755)
- [The Duke of Burgundy (2015)](https://ember.film/movie/142337)
- [Ordet (1955)](https://ember.film/movie/32140)

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