Abril Despedaçado (Behind the Sun) (2001)
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74% of critics liked it
(46 reviews) -
85% of users liked it
(4,274 ratings)
A young man is forced to choose between family tradition and his own dreams and desires in this drama from Brazilian filmmaker Walter Salles. In 1910 in a remote farming community, two families, the Breveses and the Ferreiras, both of whom earn their living growing sugar cane, have been squabbling… More A young man is forced to choose between family tradition and his own dreams and desires in this drama from Brazilian filmmaker Walter Salles. In 1910 in a remote farming community, two families, the Breveses and the Ferreiras, both of whom earn their living growing sugar cane, have been squabbling over the ownership of a piece of land for years. The disagreement turned violent some time back, and after the first shot was fired and blood was spilled, the other family insisted upon killing the gunman as a matter of honor. The second shooter was then killed for the same reason, and ever since the two clans have been trading off murders in the name of familial honor and justice. The Breveses, who are a much smaller family, have been suffering a great deal more than their rivals thanks to this feud; a steady drop in sugar prices has also left the family with little but their pride. When Inácio, the first-born son of the Breves family, is shot down, his father (José Dumont) orders his next-oldest son, Tonho (Rodrigo Santoro), to kill one of the Ferreira boys after the traditional month-long waiting period. Tonho finds himself questioning the wisdom of this bloody rivalry, and he ponders his fate while spending time with his younger brother (Ravi Ramos Lacerda), whom his parents never bothered to name. As Tonho ponders his fate, a small traveling circus comes to town; Tonho and his brother are soon caught in the spell of Clara (Flavia Marco Antonio), a beautiful circus performer who befriends the young boy and nicknames him Pacu, while Tonho finds himself falling in love with her, and longing to travel the country at her side. Abril Despedacado won the Little Golden Lion award at the 2001 Venice Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- Walter Salles
- Written By
- Walter Salles, Karim Aïnouz, Sérgio Machado
- Genres
- Art House & International, Drama
PG-13,
- In Theaters
- Dec 12, 2001 Wide
- On DVD
- Jun 11, 2002
- Studio
- Miramax Films
Critic Reviews
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Hank Sartin, Chicago Reader
The appearance of circus performers in any film not by Fellini usually bodes ill, and it does so here.
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Mark Caro, Chicago Tribune
A bleak, beautiful cinematic fable driven by the brutal logic of blood feuds and transformed by an overpowering sense of wonder.
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Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star
Salles' movie taps into matters that are at once ancient and mythical and, needless to say, headline-fresh.
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Rick Groen, Globe and Mail
Salles starts with the loudly trumpeted theme, then tacks on a slim plot to justify the clamour.
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Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times
A lovely journey, but it's like a picture book whose text is merely incidental.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
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Cast
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José Dumont
as Father
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Rodrigo Santoro
as Tonho
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Rita Assemany
as Mother
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Luis Carlos Vasconcelos
as Salustiano
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Ravi Ramos Lacerda
as Pacu
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Flavia Marco Antonio
as Clara
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Othon Bastos
as Mr. Lourenco
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Soia Lira
as Ferreira Family
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Caio Junqueira
as Inácio, Inácio, In?cio
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Vinícius de Oliveira
as Ferreira Family
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Wagner Moura
as Matheus
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Gero Camilo
as Reginaldo
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Servilio De Holanda
as Isaias
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Mariana Loureiro
as Widow
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Maria Do Socorro Nobre
as Forreira Family
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Everaldo De Souza Pontes
as Old blind man
