The Broken Circle Breakdown

MENUET & TOPKAPI FILMS PRESENT

A F I L M B Y F E L I X VA N G R O E N I N G E N

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ABOUT THE PRODUCER

Dirk Impens started his career in the early 80s touring Europe with a variety of stage productions. After working in production for several years, Impens launched his own production outfit Favourite Films in 1989, later to become Menuet, and quickly became one of the most active independent producers in Flanders.

He produced films by Robbe De Hert, Frank Van Passel, Jan Verheyen, Vincent Bal a.o. and scored instant success with Stijn Coninx’ Daens, which was nominated for the OscarŽ for Best Foreign Language Film in 1993.

Since then, Impens has produced over 30 projects, including shorts, features (Turquaze, Code 37 - the film) and various television series like Cataract, Code 37, Deadline 14/10 and the upcoming In Flanders Fields.

After graduating from the KASK film academy Felix van Groeningen made a few shorts and wrote and directed several stage plays. The Broken Circle Breakdown is van Groeningen’s fourth feature-length film after Steve+Sky, With Friends Like These and The Misfortunates, which was both a critical and a commercial success. The Broken Circle Breakdown also marks van Groeningen’s fourth collaboration with producer Dirk Impens of Menuet.

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. Their happiness is complete after their daughter Maybelle is born. Unfortunately, at the age of six, the little girl 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.

The Broken Circle Breakdown is an intense melodrama, full of passion and music.

About how love can conquer fate, and sometimes not.

© Hans De Greve

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR

CREDITS Original title: The Broken Circle Breakdown Director: Felix van Groeningen Cast: Veerle Baetens, Johan Heldenbergh, Nell Cattrysse Original screenplay: Carl Joos, Felix van Groeningen Photography: Ruben Impens Editing: Nico Leunen Sound: Jan Deca Sound design: Michel Schöpping Music: The Broken Circle Breakdown Band (led by Bjorn Eriksson) Art director: Kurt Rigolle Costumes: Ann Lauwerys Make-up: Diana Dreesen PRODUCTION Production company: Menuet Flemish producer: Dirk Impens Co-producers: Topkapi Films Supported by: Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF), NFF, Eurimages, Kinepolis Film Distribution, Lumière, vtm, Belgacom, the Tax Shelter of the Federal Government of Belgium, Casa Kafka Pictures Movie Tax Shelter empowered by Belfius In co-operation with: btech, Connectimmo, Vanden Avenne Izegem, Kinepolis Multi, Free Record Shop Belgium, G. De Wilde, Game Mania, Tux, Saltoo www.thebrokencirclebreakdown.be

FORMAT Original version: Dutch Running time: 100’ Format: DCP, HD Cam, Digital Betacam, dvd - 1:2.35 - 5.1 - Colour Year of production: 2012 INFO

Menuet Dirk Impens Ferdinand Lousbergskaai 105 B-9000 Ghent Belgium/EU T +32 9 235 73 70 F +32 9 235 73 79 dirk.impens@menuet.be www.menuet.be SALES

The Match Factory Zsuzsi Bankuti Balthasarstrasse 79-81 D-50670 Cologne Germany/EU T +49 221 539 709 10 F +49 221 539 709 10 zsuzsi.bankuti@matchfactory.de www.the-match-factory.com

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