The Brazilian Film behind the Sun - Movie Review Example

Geography of Latin America Film Exercise: Behind the Sun Summary The film Behind the Sun is a Brazilian production under the directing skills of Walter Salles and produced by the established producer, Arthur Cohn (Puig 1). The film features Rodrigo Santoro as the starring character, alongside the gracing of other established actors. The film foundation is the novel written by Ismail Kadare, who is an Albanian writer, and as such, bases on the culture of honor among the North Albania people. This film in all its core elements factors the development of an exquisite production, through the storyline to tell the story of the core themes and integration of the shooting choices. The movie features a plot set in the year 1910 in the badlands of the northeast region of Brazil (Puig 1). The storyline entails a family feud that goes wild from the differences and actions taken by either of the families in the antagonistic sides of the conflict. The key story is when the twenty year old, called Tonho, the middle son of the impoverished family of the Breves, faces a hard choice in the feud to kill against the neighboring clan, consisting of the family of the Ferreiras (Lewis 1). It is notable that over generations in past years, the two families in contention quarreled over the land in their setting, and this consequently set them in a series of action and revenge against each other, through bloody assassinations of the sons, under the swearing that they give an eye for an eye. This feud, is the embedding of the particulate codes of ethics that reflect that indeed no one has the right to take more blood than that taken from you, a factor that keeps the feud in a continuous cycle. Consequently, Tonho goes ahead under pressure from his father and kills a son of the Ferreira family, to avenge the death of his older brother. This in effect marks him as the following victim for a murder. Therefore, the family of Tonho addresses the younger brother as “the kid” in the anticipation of losing him. The Kid is imaginative and has a spirit that makes Tonho question his own fate. Tonho then meets a circus girl, Clara, who makes all life possibilities open to him (Schickel 1). The Kid is the narrator of the film, and later gets a name from Clara and her stepfather who call him Pacu. He spends the entire film narrating which makes viewers identify with the film and humanize the characters. Later, as the feud continues, towards the climax, one of the men of the Ferreira family comes to avenge their son, and seeks out Tonho (Schickel 1). However, he only kills Pacu, which infuriates the Breve family leading to Tonho’s father encouraging him to get the gun and murder all the Ferreiras in retaliation. Tonho, realizing the course the family is taking; he walks off from the feud. The father attempts to kill him for disgracing the family honor. However, the mother realizes that the feud no longer matters, and this marks the beginning of the end, towards achieving the theme of forgiveness as intended in the course of the film themes. Critique Behind the sun in its thematic approach is a description of an elevated blood feud, which is more than just a tragedy. The place of location is in rural area Brazil, particularly the cane fields as the families in contention are fighting over land as the core subject, although the feud escalates to being a bloody tie. Notably, the selection of this location is evidently most epic aspect of the film as it is remarkably significant in contributing to the success of the film and its themes. For instance, it is notable the film could easily have been placed Africa or India or Middle East where there are common occurrences of people killing each other in a course of family feuds that existed in the past. However, selecting the rural cane fields of Brazil gives this film the sense and touch of the difference of the conflict, as well as, the weight the theme of the film carries. In view of the movie and its procedural unfolding, it is evident that it utilizes the entire course of the setting of the ancient rural Brazil lands, to reflect the significance of the lands and the need to respect the set ground rules. The eventual out springing of the feud from the initial expectation of it being a minor disagreement overland into a tragic killing of the sons of either family is an over-representation of the entire course of the land setting. This is too much significance to give to the land as depicted on the film, since the vast lands have virtually nothing much to offer the families in contention, compared to the price paid which is loss of precious lives of young, energetic men. Notably, the usage of place is entirely successful, as the fields reflect the significance of the entire feud accordingly. Further, the course that the Breves are poorer whereas the Ferreiras are richer reflects in the representation of the lands, particularly the home setting and the state of the farms as depicted from the film (Thomas 1). Moreover, at the end of the film, we see Tonho at the beach, staring at the sea with wonder on his face. This setting is key in reflecting the hope for the ending of the feud. The clear stare and vision gives the reflection that as he left home and walked away from the conflict, then the clear beach view gives him the vision for a clear future, with no more feuds. Thus, observing from these aspects of the setting of the land, it is notable that indeed, there are no misrepresentations of the location from the film. The setting of the landscape, the plains as depicted in the film reflect the famous cane fields in rural Brazil, a factor that is key in identifying the location of the place in the film. Additionally, the architecture is rather dilapidated, reflecting the rural scenarios identical to the rural Brazil locations. These are key components of the fields as depicted in the film that facilitate the identification of the location of the film shooting. Further, these components also contribute accordingly to the set progression and success of the film, as the directors and producers envisioned. Theme and the film In the core of the film is the theme of vengeance, and the consequence it has on the family setting as depicted from the context of the film. Notably, the entire focus of the film is more on the acts of vengeance and the reception from either of the families in contention, rather than an actual factor of land that fuels the conflict. The Vendetta uses the background of the land feuds that existed in the early 19th century in the region. However, the entire course is to reflect the devastating acts of vengeance in the actions taken from either family in retaliation for the killing of their sons. The cultural code that the shirt stained with blood must turn yellow for another killing to occur is a reflection that this act of killings for vengeance is culturally acceptable. Consequently, the eventual outcome is the reflection that the sons of either of the families are all dying for nothing, and yet there are not positive gains towards securing the very land they claim to fight over. The narration of the story against the dry plain landscape of Brazil ties the success of the theme that he vengeance is as dry as the lands depict, since there are no fruitful gains made from killings of the sons. Thus, indeed, the film is successful in tying the themes it entails accordingly to the setting of the location of the film. Another core theme of the film is the aspect of sacrifice and forgiveness that the film carries. The story narration is from Pacu, whom the parents referred to as “the Kid” since they had no hope of him surviving the feud (Thomas 1). Therefore, his death marks the end of the film as he is a sacrificial aspect of the theme of forgiveness. His love for Tonho as well as his imaginative aspect couples with the mind opening of Tonho, who ends the feud after the death of Pacu (Lewis 1). Tonho pursuing peace and leaving the home ground gives him the heart to face life from a free side, which ends the feud. Thus, the theme of forgiveness in ending the feud is achieved through the eventual course of the film. Thus, this entire film is selectively developed to success from the core elements related to the tremendous cast and perfect location of the film. Works cited Lewis, Malcolm. "Behind the Sun." New Internationalist 04 2002: 33. ProQuest. Web. 2 Apr. 2015 . Puig, Claudia. "A Sad, Searing Behind the Sun." USA TODAYDec 12 2001. ProQuest. Web. 2 Apr. 2015 . Schickel, Richard. "BEHIND THE SUN (Motion Picture)." Time 159.3 (2002): 143. Academic Search Premier. Web. 2 Apr. 2015. Thomas, Kevin. "Movie Review; A Brazilian Familys Long-Running Vendetta Fuels Behind the Sun; the Rewarding Parable, Produced by the Makers of the Oscar-Winning Central Station, Illuminates the Redemptive Strength of Forgiveness." Los Angeles Times Dec 12 2001. ProQuest. Web. 2 Apr. 2015 . Read More