Debut

Breien's directorial debut was the 2007 movie The Art of Negative Thinking

The Art of Negative Thinking

The Art of Negative Thinking is a 2006 Norwegian black comedy film directed and written by Bård Breien. The storyline revolves around a man who is adjusting to life in a wheelchair, and the socializing group he is made to join. The film was Breien's directorial debut...

, a dark comedy about adjusting to life in a wheel chair and socializing with other people who have disabilities. The film won Breien a Crystal Globe

Crystal Globe

Crystal Globe is the main award at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, first given in the city of Karlovy Vary of the Czech Republic, in 1948.In the international competition of films, IFFKV presents the following awards:...

 award for best director at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival is a film festival held annually in July in Karlovy Vary , Czech Republic. The Karlovy Vary Festival gained worldwide recognition over the past years and has become one of Europe's major film events....

 in the Czech Republic

Czech Republic

The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....

. The movie's main character is despondent about his predicament in a wheelchair "and spends much of his time drinking, smoking pot and watching Vietnam War movies."

Notability

The Art of Negative Thinking has been shown at numerous international film festivals, and a Variety write up described the movie as being about a "therapy rebellion".