Imagine if Germany had forgiven the Nazis & left them in charge post-Holocaust amidst widespread acceptance for their actions. That's the world we see in 'The Act of Killing'.
As a view into the simplicity of power structures in the developing world, this film is unparallelled. We visit an Indonesia where gangsters, paramilitary groups, politicians and businessmen openly integrate to form an overarching power group. Secrecy is not paramount to the main players here. This is vivid depiction of societal acceptance for genocide as a tool for political & ethnic cleansing. The main characters are open about their crimes, venerated by their soldiers and public, rich men that have reaped the spoils of their war.
And then a Western documentary maker asks them to recreate their murderous histories via the medium of film. Only too pleased, their vanity suitably piqued, their conceptualisation of their film is nothing short of bizarre. Songs and dance, many, many costumes, multiple roles for each hoodlum, a refreshing acceptance of cross-dressing, violence, colour, a dream sequence, interrogations, death.
The reality of their history is blended with this haphazard project creating a unique and powerful tale. The film straddles the line of presenting it's protagonists as charming & intriguing, Anwar Congo & his sidekick have a definite chemistry & at times it's hard to imagine their true brutality. However when we are confronted with a Lieutenant extolling his approval of child rape, one is quickly brought back to sobriety.
This film is like nothing you've seen before, it's moral intent is clear and when you are presented with such stark and often beautiful art it's difficult to deny it's worthiness.
Credit the bravery of the filmmaker and his many assistants who have anonymised their names in the credits. Hopefully the light shone here will be widely enlightening.
As a view into the simplicity of power structures in the developing world, this film is unparallelled. We visit an Indonesia where gangsters, paramilitary groups, politicians and businessmen openly integrate to form an overarching power group. Secrecy is not paramount to the main players here. This is vivid depiction of societal acceptance for genocide as a tool for political & ethnic cleansing. The main characters are open about their crimes, venerated by their soldiers and public, rich men that have reaped the spoils of their war.
And then a Western documentary maker asks them to recreate their murderous histories via the medium of film. Only too pleased, their vanity suitably piqued, their conceptualisation of their film is nothing short of bizarre. Songs and dance, many, many costumes, multiple roles for each hoodlum, a refreshing acceptance of cross-dressing, violence, colour, a dream sequence, interrogations, death.
The reality of their history is blended with this haphazard project creating a unique and powerful tale. The film straddles the line of presenting it's protagonists as charming & intriguing, Anwar Congo & his sidekick have a definite chemistry & at times it's hard to imagine their true brutality. However when we are confronted with a Lieutenant extolling his approval of child rape, one is quickly brought back to sobriety.
This film is like nothing you've seen before, it's moral intent is clear and when you are presented with such stark and often beautiful art it's difficult to deny it's worthiness.
Credit the bravery of the filmmaker and his many assistants who have anonymised their names in the credits. Hopefully the light shone here will be widely enlightening.