Watch Behind the Sun

Behind the Sun is a compelling and thought-provoking drama set in the harsh, sun-baked landscape of Brazil's northeast. Directed by Walter Salles, the film tells the story of two feuding families, swept up in a cycle of violence and revenge that seems destined to continue into perpetuity. The story takes place in the early 20th century, amidst the harsh and unforgiving conditions of Brazil's drought-stricken region. At its center is the relationship between two young men, Tonho (Rodrigo Santoro) and Pacu (Ravi Ramos Lacerda), who hail from rival families. Tonho's father, who is a rancher, has been locked in a longstanding feud with Pacu's father, who is a traveling trader. Tonho is being groomed to take over the ranch, while Pacu dreams of leaving the family business and making a life for himself beyond the confines of his small community.

Early in the film, Tonho is tasked with avenging his older brother's murder by killing one of Pacu's brothers. This act of vengeance will beget another, and so on, in a never-ending cycle of violence that threatens to tear both families apart. But as Tonho prepares to carry out his grim task, he begins to question the senselessness of the feud and the toll it has taken on his family, his community, and himself.

At its core, Behind the Sun is a meditation on the nature of violence, the futility of revenge, and the possibility of redemption. Through the character of Tonho, the film explores the transformative power of empathy and the importance of breaking free from long-held prejudices and assumptions. As Tonho comes to see Pacu and his family as real people, rather than solely as "the enemy," he begins to question the entrenched beliefs that have shaped his entire life.

The film is visually striking, thanks to Salles' deft direction and Walter Carvalho's stunning cinematography. Throughout the film, the barren, sun-soaked landscape of Brazil's northeast is captured with an almost painterly attention to detail, creating a vivid sense of place that is as harsh as it is beautiful. This contrast between the beauty of the setting and the violence that takes place within it only serves to deepen the film's underlying themes.

The performances in the film are uniformly excellent, with Santoro and Lacerda standing out for their nuanced portrayals of two young men caught up in a cycle of violence that seems beyond their control. Behind the Sun is also notable for featuring a cast of primarily non-professional actors, lending the film a sense of authenticity and immediacy that is hard to come by in Hollywood productions.

While Behind the Sun is undeniably a bleak film, it is also a deeply compassionate one. Through its exploration of the human toll of violence, the film ultimately delivers a hopeful message about the power of empathy and the capacity for change. It's a movie that lingers in the mind long after the credits roll, and one that deserves to be seen by anyone with an interest in strong storytelling, distinctive visuals, or probing explorations of the human condition.

Behind the Sun is a 1995 drama with a runtime of 51 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.3.