The Act of Killing (Documentary)

[zimok]

Anyone else watch this?

I almost exclusively watch documentaries, and somehow this one escaped me until yesterday.

I recommend not even watching the trailer and jumping right in with zero expectations/assumptions.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQhIRBxbchU"]The Act Of Killing - Official Trailer - YouTube[/ame]

OK, maybe a little expectation...

Awards

• Berlinale Panorama Audience Award for Best Documentary 2013[19]
• Berlinale Panorama Prize of the Ecumenical Jury 2013[20]
• 2013 Danish Academy Award for Best Documentary (Robert Award)[21]
• 2013 Special Prize of the Danish Film Critics Association – Bodil Awards (Sær Bodil)[22]
• Grand Prize – CPHOX 2012[23]
• Grand Prix (Documentaire) – Festival de Cinéma Valenciennes 2013[24]
• Grand Prize of the Jury – Documenta Madrid 2013[25]
• Audience Award for Best Film – Documenta Madrid 2013[26]
• Grand Prix – Beldocs Belgrade International Documentary Film Festival 2013[27]
• Audience Award for Best Feature Film – FICUNAM Mexico City 2013[28]
• Best Film – Prague One World Festival 2013[29]
• Movies That Matter Award – ZagrebDox 2013[30]
• Critics Prize – Istanbul Independent Film Festival 2013[31]
• Gilda Vieira de Mello Prize – Geneva International Human Rights Film Festival 2013[32]
• Amnesty International Award – IndieLisboa 2013[33]
• Audience Award – Planete+ Doc Film Festival Warsaw 2013[34]
• Grand Prix Dolnego Śląska – Planete+ Doc Film Festival Warsaw 2013[35]
• Grand Prize – DocsBarcelona Film Festival 2013[36]
• Special Jury Award - Sheffield Doc/Fest 2013[37]
• Audience Award - Sheffield Doc/Fest 2013[38]
• Grand Prize - Biografilm Festival Italy 2013[39]
• Golden Chair - Grimstad Short and Documentary Film Festival 2013[40]
• Basil Wright Prize - Royal Anthropological Institute Film Festival 2013[41]
• Aung San Suu Kyi Award - Human Rights Human Dignity International Film Festival 2013[42]
• The Stanley Kubrick Award for Bold and Innovative Filmmaking - Traverse City Film Festival 2013[43]
• Documentary Grand Prix - Batumi International Art Film Festival 2013[44]
• Best Nordic Documentary Award - Nordisk Panorama 2013[45]
• Press Jury Prize - Message to Man International Film Festival 2013[46]
• The Mayor’s Prize - Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival 2013[47]
• Troféu Janela de Melhor Filme (The Best Film) - VI Janela Internacional de Cinema do Recife[48]

 

[drave]

did you just recommend jumping in without the trailer & post the trailer?

 

[boatBurner]

Is this based on the book?

 

[greenleaves]

I actually had a prejudice against the film since you were recommending it. But I am interested. I had read about the 60s massacre in Indonesia and would love to see further development of the topic. For those unfamiliar:
Indonesian killings of 1965

For a more complete and less 'official' version:
Indonesia: Second Greatest Crime of Century: Introduction

 

[zimok]

did you just recommend jumping in without the trailer & post the trailer?

Yes.. because it's a preference of mine, that I want to know as little as I need to know, in order to know I need to watch something. I found most people aren't like me in this regard, so I try to be accommodating.

Is this based on the book?

It would make no sense if it was, unless the entire premise of the documentary is fake. Which I don't think it is.

I actually had a prejudice against the film since you were recommending it. But I am interested. I had read about the 60s massacre in Indonesia and would love to see further development of the topic. For those unfamiliar:
Indonesian killings of 1965

For a more complete and less 'official' version:
Indonesia: Second Greatest Crime of Century: Introduction

I'd love for you to watch it and report back with your thoughts.

Why the prejudice against my recommendation? Unless by 'since', you meant 'until'?

 

[greenleaves]

Why the prejudice against my recommendation?

I wanted to be an asshole and give you a hard time. But there is gay love just the same <3

 

[zimok]

I wanted to be an asshole and give you a hard time. But there is gay love just the same <3

Your assholes going to have a hard time if you keep it up, you lovely fucker.

 

[JarredLv]

Let me see if I understand what this is about. The real genocidal assholes from the 60's do dramatic recreations of the killings they were responsible for carrying out?

Sounds pretty twisted.

 

[greenleaves]

Your assholes going to have a hard time if you keep it up, you lovely fucker.

I don't know if that is a threat or a pass at me. Either way, I'm turned on.

 

[zimok]

Let me see if I understand what this is about. The real genocidal assholes from the 60's do dramatic recreations of the killings they were responsible for carrying out?

Sounds pretty twisted.

spoilers..................



That's the half of it. It's so real it's unreal, in a disturbing way.

It's painful to watch not only because these are the actual killers, but because they've won. They've not only won, they're still running the country and glorify themselves to the media, and to their friends. They talk about it like they were killing poisonous ants and the mental house of cards they've built to keep their sanity is a window into their style of thinking and attempt at not feeling remorse.

I'd write some more but I'll wait to see what you guys think about it.

 

[infoslob]

I'm very close to this story and this "documentary" is totally disrespectful to Indonesian culture. It's totally offensive.

 

[Andrew Scherer]

I did some research on it last night. The official story is the purge was the result of a failed communist coup, however it is speculated that it was the military taking over the gov while using the popular communist party as a scapegoat. The CIA played some role here, not sure what. Remember this was a time when communists were the boogeyman and the resulting dealths of a half million of them were seen as something favorable by western media and government.

 

[zimok]

I'm very close to this story and this "documentary" is totally disrespectful to Indonesian culture. It's totally offensive.

I'm sorry to hear that you're close to this.

In an interview with the director, he said he's currently editing footage to make the second part which will mainly focus on the victims during this time, rather than an exposé on the perpetrators.

Having only seen the documentary with no prior context, I would of thought the victims would of found a bit of comfort in the thugs being called out? I can easily see the reenacments being offensive though.

 

[infoslob]

Having only seen the documentary with no prior context, I would of thought the victims would of found a bit of comfort in the thugs being called out? I can easily see the reenacments being offensive though.

I said nothing about being a victim. I used to nail an Indonesian chick, a depraved chick from a whacked out family from a whacked out land.

In Indonesia unmarried chicks take it in the ass - not some, but all - in order to preserve vaginal virginity for marriage. I take trespasses on this culture very seriously and will boycott this film. I owe Indonesian culture as much due to my own desecrations upon a member of its diaspora.

 

[shawnhag]

watched trailer, was disappointed

 

[jryan21]

Unblinking and unsettling, this documentary lays bare a mysterious process that goes on all around us - what happens to people who die with no next of kin.

 

[jstover77]

did you just recommend jumping in without the trailer & post the trailer?

Dude, what do you have against capital letters? Shit drives me crazy.

 

[igl00]

post here full youtube vids not trailers!

 

[sirtokealot]

Im not sure if your trolling or serious. Either way that is certainly not the best documentry of 2013. I looks like the crap "sit com" shows they put on tv here in Thailand.

Not trying to offend, but really...

 

[TVLtd]

Trailers don't really tell you a lot about movies themselves! I wouldn't base on the trailer in this particular case either. I will try to watch it as I fancy documentaries.