Award-winning Berlin title to open Sensoria Festival in September; full line-up unveiled.

Sheffield-based music and film festival Sensoria is to open with the UK premiere of The Broken Circle Breakdown on Sept 26, attended by director Felix van Groeningen.

Based on the theatre play of the same name by Johan Heldenbergh and Mieke Dobbels, it marks van Groeningen’s fourth feature.

It follows Didier (Heldenburgh) and Elise (Veerle Baetens) who strike up an intense, passionate relationship and have a baby. But when their daughter falls ill, they respond in different ways and put their love to the test.

The film, which has a bluegrass soundtrack, debuted at the Berlin International Film Festival in February where it won the Label Europa Cinemas and Panorama Audience awards.

It went on to win the best actress and best screenplay awards at the Tribeca Film Festival and the Politiken’s Audience Award at CPH:PIX.

StudioCanal will release the film in the UK on Oct 18.

Now in its sixth year, Sensoria takes place in venues across Sheffield from Sept 26-29. Other film highlights at the festival include Luc Besson’s The Big Blue, being screened on its 25th anniversary at the 1930s outdoor pool in the Peak District village of Hathersage.

In Sheffield city centre, a car park will be transformed into a Drive In cinema, with teen classic American Graffiti on the big screen and The Wicker Man: The Final Cut will also be screened outdoors on the same day as the national theatrical release of the restored film.

Full film line-up

  • The Broken Circle Breakdown, Felix Van Groeningen
  • The Enigma of Nic Jones: Return of Britain’s Lost Folk Hero, Michael Proudfoot
  • The Wicker Man: The Final Cut, Robin Hardy
  • The Sacred Triangle: Bowie, Iggy & Lou 1971-1973, Alec Lindsell
  • Harry Dean Stanton: Partly Fiction, Sophie Huber
  • Babylon, Franco Rosso
  • The Big Blue, Luc Besson
  • Underground, Anthony Asquith
  • American Graffiti, George Lucas

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