Behind the Sun (2001)

When ordered by his father to avenge the death of his older brother, a young man questions the tradition of violence between two rival families.

Director:

Walter Salles

Writers:

Karim Aïnouz (screenplay) (as Karim Ainouz), Ismail Kadare (novel)

Stars:

José Dumont, Rodrigo Santoro, Rita Assemany

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 9 wins & 20 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
José Dumont	...	Father
Rodrigo Santoro	...	Tonho
Rita Assemany	...	Mother
Luiz Carlos Vasconcelos	...	Salustiano
Flavia Marco Antonio	...	Clara
Ravi Ramos Lacerda	...	Pacu
Caio Junqueira	...	Inácio
Everaldo Pontes	...	Old Blind Man (as Everaldo de Souza Pontes)
Mariana Loureiro	...	Widow
Servílio de Holanda	...	Isaías
Wagner Moura	...	Matheus
Gero Camilo	...	Reginaldo
Othon Bastos	...	Mr. Lourenço
Vinícius de Oliveira	...	Ferreira Family Member
Soia Lira	...	Ferreira Family Member

Storyline

The Brazilian badlands, April 1910. Tonho is ordered by his father to avenge the death of his older brother. The young man knows that if he commits this crime, his life will be divided in two: the 20 years he has already lived and the few days he has left to live, before the other family avenges their son's death. He is torn between fulfilling his ancestral duty and rebelling against it, urged by his younger brother Pacu. That's when a tiny traveling circus passes through the vast badlands where Tonho's family lives.

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Plot Keywords:

death | violence | tradition | 1910s | circus | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some violence and a scene of sexuality

Details

Official Sites:

Arthur Cohn synopsis,cast,credits, director's notes [Brazil] Miramax Cast, trailer [United States]

Country:

Brazil France Switzerland

Language:

Portuguese

Release Date:

1 May 2002 (Brazil)

Also Known As:

Shredded April

Filming Locations:

Bom Sossego, Bahia, Brazil

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,671, 16 December 2001

Gross USA:

$19,861

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$805,755

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bac Films, Dan Valley Film AG, Haut et Court

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Official submission of Brazil to the 2002's Oscars in the best foreign language film category.

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Quotes

Mother: In this house, the dead command the living.

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Connections

Referenced in Collateral (2004)

User Reviews

A masterpiece

"Behind the Sun" tells a simple story about two families locked in a blood feud over sugar cane land in the late 19th century somewhere in a desolate, parched Brazil. The film is no less than a masterwork of simplicity; a richly textured, finely nuanced, artfully crafted drama which tells its story as much through evinced emotion as through dialogue. Not for everyone, "Behind the Sun" will likely be too austere for the public at large while providing a feast for cinema purists. Thanks to Cohn, Salles, and crew for their hard work in making a film for the few, not the many.

Note - I've viewed almost 900 films in the past three years and only rated two of them a 10. The first was "Band of Brothers". "Behind the Sun" is the second.