Artists take what’s intimate and personal and transform it into art, but, especially for those who became famous for their work, it can feel challenging to tackle certain subjects, profit from it, and make it part and parcel of your artistic identity, especially when it stems from personal trauma. Things Behind the Sun depicts a rock singer who became famous on her song about rape. It’s a tad harrowing, and the flashbacks get rather graphic, but through focusing primarily on Sherry’s journey and not forcing forgiveness between the characters, Things Behind the Sun is able to capture what it means to survive the horrible, to confront it again, and to actually heal.

Depicting rape isn’t easy because of having to strike a balance between depicting its horror without becoming too traumatic. Things Behind the Sun does sometimes falter in depicting that balance, and the emphasis on Sherry’s fertility is kinda weird, but it shines when it’s mostly focused on Sherry’s healing. That being said, Owen was coerced, and I wish the film acknowledged that.