Behemoth

In the Old Testament, the mountains are the domain of a monster named Behemoth; in modern times the vast mining industry has taken the monster’s place. With a violent roar, the mountain spews iron ore and coal with infernal billowing smoke that leaves those working there struggling against fatigue and suffocation.

The silence of the dreamlike Chinese landscapes is broken only by the thundering cacophony of explosions set to create a new entrance to the mine. The sheep farmers and their herds have been driven off the bright green pastures to make way for the ever-expanding mining industry; sick miners with ruined lungs are lying, dying, in the hospital.

Panoramic shots of the changing landscape and industrial activity alternate with silent close-ups of the workers in their shabby quarters or their hospital beds. Inspired by Dante’s Divine Comedy, director Liang Zhao shares in voice-over his poetic reflections on China’s search for a paradise, one that has ended up being something a lot more like hell. Could the mythical monster have ever dreamed of this?