Film Festivals

Top 20 Alternative Picks for Cannes 2012: Rufus Norris’ Broken

Published on May 15, 2012

Broken – Rufus Norris

Buzz: Selected as the Critics’ Week opening film – this debut from theatre director turned filmmaker Rufus Norris has the right ingredients in Tim Roth, Cillian Murphy and what is being called a breakout debut from Eloise Laurence. We’re hoping that a section that is particularly strong in finding future English talents (Duane Hopkins, Andrea Arnold) is once again on the mark.

Gist: Shortly after witnessing a brutal beating, Skunk’s home, neighborhood, and school become treacherous environments, where the happy certainties of childhood give way to danger; her innocence is rapidly worn away and a harsh world fills her future, over which she has no control. When Skunk finally seeks solace in an unspoken friendship with sweet, damaged Rick, she’s faced with the greatest choice of all.

Related Topics:Broken, Cannes 2012, Rufus Norris

Eric Lavallée

Eric Lavallée is the founder, CEO, editor-in-chief, film journalist and critic at IONCINEMA.com (founded in 2000). Eric is a regular at Sundance, Cannes and TIFF. He has a BFA in Film Studies at the Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema. In 2013 he served as a Narrative Competition Jury Member at the SXSW Film Festival. He was an associate producer on Mark Jackson's This Teacher (2018 LA Film Festival, 2018 BFI London). In 2022 he served as a New Flesh Comp for Best First Feature at the 2022 Fantasia Intl. Film Festival. Current top films for 2022 include Tár (Todd Field), All That Breathes (Shaunak Sen), Aftersun (Charlotte Wells).