In the early 1970s a naive young girl, Bess, living in a small community on the north west coast of Scotland, falls in love with oil-rig worker and man-of-the-world Jan. Despite local opposition they marry and live out a brief but intense love life.

Jan returns to the rig, whilst Bess counts the days to his homecoming sure that their love is made in heaven. When an accident renders Jan paralysed he is worried that Bess will cut herself off from a normal life. Realising that he will be bedridden, he convinces her that she will aid his recovery by taking a lover and relating to him their sexual acts.

Breaking the Waves with its electronic seventies soundtrack (featuring Deep Purple, T-Rex and Elton John) is a truly astonishing film, adored by critics and audiences alike.