A lonely engraver scrapes by a living with his craft, tasked with either engraving temples or mosques on grindstones. As the day goes on, and the orders pile up, the artisan finds himself working on many different pieces with varying requests. When an error comes up and his methods are questioned, the man gets chased out of the small village by an angry crowd out for revenge.
“Behind The Moon” review is part of the Submit Your Film Initiative
For those from families born and raised in the West, the idea of prosecution for not subscribing to a religious belief system seems like a rather alien concept. In most cases, (there are always exceptions) our choice not to practice any set belief and be able to navigate the day to day with little to no concern. Coming from this viewpoint, the short film Behind the Moon by Chakraboty Samrat paints an interesting and tragic portrait of a ‘free spirit' crushed by the confines of a society that prioritizes religious standing over the humanitarian approach of its protagonists. Ultimately, the exploration of this theme marks the biggest draw and most fascinating aspect of the short film's narrative.
While the moral stance is the driving force behind an enjoyable experience, Samrat Chakraborty shows himself to be a capable filmmaker in other aspects of the production. Notably, the cinematography is engaging throughout the movie, capturing the lives and celebration of the small town's inhabitants in complimentary ways. Additionally, the score acts to compliment all the moments of sincerity conveyed by the humble stone engraver, as well as his panic when he finds himself the target of hate.
The performances in the film don't quite reach the same strength of story and visual approach, with the exception of the engraver. The positivity, humbleness in actions and demeanor of the poor worker comes across clear. As a result, it is easy to feel empathetic for the man's plights off the way he interacts with those around him. Arguably, the range of emotions is rather limited in the performance, but actor Debesh Roy Chowdhury brings a certain charming sincerity into his performance.
“Behind the Moon” acts as a strong statement on some of the inequalities within a society that restricts humanity to those it deems to be in religious favor. Furthermore, It is a work of sincerity that asks for change and introspection from the audience, by showing a tragedy befalling an admirable person. Anyway you look at the production, it is a captivating short from Chakraborty.
