The Dark Side of the Sun (1988)

The Dark Side of the Sun is a 1988 American-Yugoslavian drama film directed by Božidar Nikolić and stars Brad Pitt in his first leading role as a young man in search of a cure for a dreaded skin disease.

The footage for the film was shot in 1988 but due to the outbreak of Croatian War of Independence (which started in 1991) it had to be abandoned and much footage was lost. The missing pieces were eventually recovered and it was released officially in 1997, by which time Pitt was a major star. The film was later featured in an episode of Cinema Insomnia.

Synopsis

Rick is a young American who suffers of a rare skin disease which prevents him from exposing himself to any kind of light, especially sunlight. After having tried several cures without success, his father takes him to a village in Yugoslavia where they meet a healer, who is supposed to save him. But the treatment does not work and Rick decides to forget about his illness and enjoy life, feeling the sun on his skin for the first time. In the short time he has left a young American actress enters his life.

Actors