Posted on Feb 28, 2014

9 Other Oscars "The Broken Circle Breakdown" Should Have Been Nominated For

Besides Best Foreign Language Film, which it is in contention for.

BuzzFeed Staff

The screenplay is based off the stage play by lead actor Johan Heldenbergh and Mieke Dobbels, which was performed all over Belgium and spotted by director Felix Van Groeningen. It tells the story of Didier, a bluegrass singer and idealistic atheist, and Elise, a tattoo artist and spiritual realist, who fall in love and later have their relationship and faith tested when they undergo a tragedy involving their young daughter, Maybelle. The script tackles religion and healing in a more difficult and honest way than we're used to seeing, and explores the idea of sharing grief when spiritual views come to a head.

The Broken Social Circle Breakdown tells a story through music, and it's no wonder the dynamic covers of folk and bluegrass classics have helped the film garner an immense craze in Europe. "The Boy Who Wouldn't Hoe Corn" is brought to life with hi-speed banjos, while "If I Needed You" proves to be a gentler, sadder duet reminiscent of "Falling Slowly" in Once. Nearly every song summons a mood that is bittersweet and romantic, fitting in perfectly with the story. — *The Broken Social Circle Breakdown* tells a story through music, and it's no wonder the dynamic covers of folk and bluegrass classics have helped the film garner an immense craze in Europe. "The Boy Who Wouldn't Hoe Corn" is brought to life with hi-speed banjos, while "If I Needed You" proves to be a gentler, sadder duet reminiscent of "Falling Slowly" in *Once*. Nearly every song summons a mood that is bittersweet and romantic, fitting in perfectly with the story.

Tribeca Film / Via youtube.com

The film creates a unique world that fuses Belgian and American cultures together seamlessly, as Didier and Elise integrate American music into their lives and discuss the impact of American politics on the world. "[It] reflects the ambiguous feelings a lot of Europeans have about America -- because it influences pop culture. And it's used as a metaphor to show that [Didier] is a dreamer and idealizes everything, but reality catches up with him and his dream falls apart," Van Groeningen said.