In a small, conservative Scottish village, an oilman is paralyzed in an accident. His wife, who prayed for his return, feels guilty; even more, when he urges her to have sex with another.
Acting
Emily Watson's debut—raw, feral, holy. You'll never forget her face.
Direction
Von Trier's Dogme 95 prelude: handheld intimacy, chapter titles like cruel hymns.
Cinematography
Bleached 16mm Scotland: beauty and brutality indistinguishable.
Director
Lars von Trier
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Emily Watson had never acted on film before; von Trier found her in theatre and essentially tortured her into the performance, forbidding her from seeing rushes.
The film sparked years of debate about whether von Trier exploits his actresses or collaborates in extremity—Watson's Oscar nomination complicated the narrative, but the question lingers through every frame of Bess's suffering.
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