Synopsis

In Zhao Liang’s poetic documentary on the life of coal miners in China, panoramic shots of coal quarries and the thinning Mongolian greenery visually depict the ecological ravages caused by the mining industry in Inner Mongolia. Behemoth portrays these workers as spectres toiling in hellish conditions for their country’s economic progress. Zhao's stunning cinematography also makes a bigger statement about the costs of China's rapid industrialisation. Partially inspired by Dante’s Inferno, Behemoth represents the dwindling environment in its most visual form, allowing the spectacle of the landscape and the hardships of the miners’ lives to forcefully present Zhao’s critique of China’s social woes.

Zhao Liang is considered an independent filmmaker in his home country. This seemingly innocuous phrase means something very specific in the Chinese media context: Zhao makes films outside of the state-sanctioned approval process for content. Despite the authorities’ attempts to restrict films deemed politically sensitive, China’s independent filmmaking scene, particularly in documentary filmmaking, is thriving. On the contrary, the 2010s have been an especially vibrant period for documentary filmmakers working in China, with Behemoth representing one of its highest points.

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