Credits: screenplay: Lars von Trier; director of photography: Anthony Dod Mantle; editor: Anders Refn, Asa Mossberg; sound: Kristian Eidnes Andersen; production design: Karl Júlíusson; producer: Meta Louise Foldager; production: Zentropa Entertainments, Slot Machine, Memfis Film, Trollhättan Film AB, Lucky Red, Liberator Productions;

Country: Denmark, Germany, France, Sweden, Italy, Poland

Year: 2009

Running time: 109

Colour: Colour and b&w

Format: 35 mm

The accidental death of their child while they are engaged in non-stop sex - and Charlotte Gainsbourg's grad student wife appears to notice the coming danger but opts for pleasure - precipitates her breakdown, which psychiatrist husband Willem Dafoe unwisely insists on treating himself. Their self-prescribed therapy in their summer cabin, ironically called Eden, turns into a bout of symbolic and overt genital mutilation. Gainsbourg took Best Actress, presumably for her shear power. Dane adulte terrible Lars von Trier says that he made this English-language feature when he was extremely depressed. His films are always fascinating to watch, no matter how far out he goes or how much his themes, style, and dialogue defy the world as most of us experience it. (H. F.)