Broken English (1996)

Sometimes when you make love you make war.

Broken English (1996) poster

Ivan is the fierce patriarch of a family of Croatian refugees living in Auckland during the Yugoslav wars. Nina is his daughter, ready to live on her own, despite his angry objections. Eddie is the Maori she takes as her lover. Nina works at the restaurant where Eddie cooks. For a price, she agrees to marry another restaurant employee, a Chinese man, so that he can establish permanent residency. The money gives her the independence she needs to leave her parents' house and move in with Eddie. Complications arise when Eddie realizes the depth of her father's fury and the strength of Nina's family ties.

Director: Gregor Nicholas
Genre: Romance, Drama
Runtime: 92 min
Release Date:

Cast

Screenplay

Cinematography: John Toon
Editing: David Coulson
Production: New Zealand Film Commission, NZ on Air, Communicado Productions
Country: New Zealand
Language: English, 日本語, Maori, Serbo-Croatian
Original Language: en

Themes

Love Stories Crossing Cultures

Keywords

refugee, maori, interracial relationship, auckland

Trailer

Broken English Trailer
More Films by Director: Gregor Nicholas
More Films in Genre: Romance, Drama

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Broken English about?
Ivan is the fierce patriarch of a family of Croatian refugees living in Auckland during the Yugoslav wars. Nina is his daughter, ready to live on her own, despite his angry objections. Eddie is the Maori she takes as her lover. Nina works at the restaurant where Eddie cooks. For a price, she agrees to marry another restaurant employee, a Chinese man, so that he can establish permanent residency. The money gives her the independence she needs to leave her parents' house and move in with Eddie. Complications arise when Eddie realizes the depth of her father's fury and the strength of Nina's family ties.
Who directed Broken English?
Broken English was directed by Gregor Nicholas.
Who stars in Broken English?
Broken English stars Rade Šerbedžija, Aleksandra Vujcic, Julian Arahanga, Marton Csokas, Stephen Ure.
How long is Broken English?
Broken English has a runtime of 1h 32m (92 minutes).
What genre is Broken English?
Broken English is a Romance, Drama film.
Where was Broken English produced?
Broken English was produced in New Zealand.
What are the themes of Broken English?
The themes of Broken English include: Love Stories Crossing Cultures.