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Behind the Sun

Play trailer Poster for Behind the Sun PG-13 2002 1h 45m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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74% Tomatometer 46 Reviews 88% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
"Behind the Sun" tells the story of two families locked in a generations-old deadly feud. It started out as a battle over land, but now it's escalated into a series of reprisals that is claiming the lives of the young men on both sides. In one family, the oldest remaining son - distressed by the prospect of death and encouraged by his younger brother - begins to question the cycle of violence. That's when a beautiful young woman from a traveling circus crosses his path.
Behind the Sun

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Visually poetic, Behind the Sun is a powerful statement about cycles of violence.

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Critics Reviews

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Hank Sartin Chicago Reader 04/01/2010
The appearance of circus performers in any film not by Fellini usually bodes ill, and it does so here. Go to Full Review
Mark Caro Chicago Tribune 07/20/2002
3.5/4
A bleak, beautiful cinematic fable driven by the brutal logic of blood feuds and transformed by an overpowering sense of wonder. Go to Full Review
Geoff Pevere Toronto Star 05/03/2002
3/5
Salles' movie taps into matters that are at once ancient and mythical and, needless to say, headline-fresh. Go to Full Review
Film Threat 12/06/2005
3/5
Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com 07/03/2005
B-
Chris Barsanti Film Threat 11/12/2003
3/5
a family saga told with all the muscle of the best Sergio Leone western. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Rodrigo M Apr 4 Una joya inesperada Recuerdo la primera vez que vi esta película, no me esparaba nada, pensaba otro drama latino tremendo. Y anuque en parte lo es, la parte de realismo mágico de esta película me encanto, algo parecido a lo que sucede con el Laberinto del Fauno en dondé una historia normal se combina con elementos surrealistas. El casting es genial, los escenarios son perfectos y los actores lo hacen excelente. Maravilla See more Leaburn O 08/20/2024 Families feuding in the badlands is upended by a beautiful circus performer. This short story is well paced and atmospheric. A very good foreign language film. Watched on DVD. See more jordan m 04/12/2022 They did a great job drawing me into what was ultimately not a particularly riveting storyline. The pacing, color palette and moments of high stakes action, paired with the relatively brief runtime, did more than enough to make this an enjoyable viewing experience. The plot reminded me of the intense feud that my in-laws have witnessed between their two neighbors who share a driveway with each other as there have been punches thrown over it, but otherwise I didn't think very highly of it because the entire generations-long feud was apparently resolved by the guy just leaving to join the circus. Why didn't anyone else think of that? I should also note that I was much less cynical than I might otherwise have been with this one because of how much work I had to put in to be able to view it. I couldn't find it anywhere with English subtitles, so I ended up on some obscure website whose media player accepted a subtitle text file that I found on another website I'd never visited. I was sure I was gonna have to skip this one and had almost given up when I found that, so the movie had no choice but to be a rewarding experience for me! See more 09/08/2016 Not quite sure what all the fuss is about... See more 05/25/2013 Sparse and poignant telling of a blood feud in 1910's Brazil. Great photography and solid acting. See more 07/25/2012 Eu gosto muito do Walter Salles e esse filme é simplesmente maravilhoso. See more Read all reviews
Behind the Sun

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Movie Info

Synopsis "Behind the Sun" tells the story of two families locked in a generations-old deadly feud. It started out as a battle over land, but now it's escalated into a series of reprisals that is claiming the lives of the young men on both sides. In one family, the oldest remaining son - distressed by the prospect of death and encouraged by his younger brother - begins to question the cycle of violence. That's when a beautiful young woman from a traveling circus crosses his path.
Director
Walter Salles
Producer
Arthur Cohn
Screenwriter
Karim Aïnouz, Sérgio Machado, Walter Salles, João Moreira Salles, Daniela Thomas, Ismail Kadaré
Distributor
Miramax Films
Production Co
Lumiere Productions, Bac Films, Dan Valley Film AG, Haut et Court, VideoFilmes
Rating
PG-13 (Some Violence|Scene of Sexuality)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Brazilian Portuguese
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 19, 2002, Wide
Release Date (DVD)
Jun 11, 2002
Box Office (Gross USA)
$64.2K
Runtime
1h 45m
Sound Mix
Surround, Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Dolby Stereo
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)