BY: Alexis Eichelberger

Danish director Lars von Trier has been pushing the boundaries of cinema since the 1960s. He has a distinct visual style that blends aspects of film noir with German expressionism. Von Trier has established himself as an ambitious and talented auteur who has not shied away from controversy. Below we take a look at his best films. And after you read this, be sure to watch Melancholia, streaming on PROVOKR this week.

Europa

This winner of the jury prize at Cannes follows an American man of German descent (Jean-Marc Barr) who moves to Germany in the years following WWII. Although he wants to lead a quiet life, he soon finds himself the unwitting pawn in a game between the American forces and his wealthy employers.

Breaking the Waves

When Jan’s (Stellan Skarsgård) breaks his neck in an oil rig accident, he convinces his devoted and naive wife, Bess (Emily Watson), to take a lover and share all the details. As their unconventional relationship progresses, Bess begins to believe that God is guiding her actions to help Jan recover.

Dancer in the Dark

Selma Jezková (Björk), moves with her young son from Czechoslovakia to a small town in Washington state, where they live in poverty. Selma has a degenerative eye condition and is slowly going blind. She spends her time trying to raise enough money for her son to get an operation to prevent him from also losing his vision.

Dogville

Grace Margaret Mulligan (Nicole Kidman) is a young woman on the run from the mob in this Palme d’Or nominated film. She takes refuge in the small mining town of Dogville. In return for her help, the community agrees to hide her. However, when the sheriff of a neighboring village puts a price tag on information about her whereabouts, the people of Dogville demand more from Grace in return for their silence.

Melancholia

Justine (Kirsten Dunst) and Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg) are two sisters with a strained relationship. On the eve of Justine’s wedding, she isn’t happy about the event, even though it turns out to be a beautiful and extravagant wedding paid for by Claire. But, things take a turn for the worse when a mysterious blue planet, Melancholia, comes hurtling towards Earth.

Nymphomaniac Vol. I + Nymphomaniac Vol. II

This two-part drama recounts the exploits of a self-professed nymphomaniac, Joe (Charlotte Gainsbourg). The first part follows Joe as she details her erotic relationship with a man named Seligman (Stellan Skarsgård), who saved her from a beating. The second part delves into the darker aspects of her sexual dependency.