The Act of Killing (2012)

A documentary which challenges former Indonesian death-squad leaders to reenact their mass-killings in whichever cinematic genres they wish, including classic Hollywood crime scenarios and lavish musical numbers.

Directors:

Joshua Oppenheimer, Anonymous (co-director)

Stars:

Anwar Congo, Herman Koto, Syamsul Arifin

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 53 wins & 41 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Anwar Congo	...	Himself - Executioner in 1965
Herman Koto	...	Himself - Gangster and Paramilitary Leader
Syamsul Arifin	...	Himself - Governor of North Sumatra
Ibrahim Sinik	...	Himself - Newspaper Publisher
Yapto Soerjosoemarno	...	Himself - Leader of Pancasila Youth
Safit Pardede	...	Himself - Local Paramilitary Leader
Jusuf Kalla	...	Himself - Vice President of Indonesia
Adi Zulkadry	...	Himself - Fellow Executioner in 1965
Soaduon Siregar	...	Himself - Journalist
Suryono	...	Himself - Anwar's Neighbor
Haji Marzuki	...	Himself - Member of North Sumatra Parliament (as Marzuki)
Haji Anif	...	Himself - Paramilitary Leader and Businessman
Rahmat Shah	...	Himself - Member of Parliament
Sakhyan Asmara	...	Himself - Deputy Minister of Youth and Sport

Storyline

A documentary which challenges former Indonesian death-squad leaders to reenact their mass-killings in whichever cinematic genres they wish, including classic Hollywood crime scenarios and lavish musical numbers.

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Plot Keywords:

musical number | death squad | mass killing | reference to guantanamo bay | surrealism | 

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Taglines:

When killers win, when killers become heroes.

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Genres:

Documentary | Crime

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

UK Denmark Norway

Language:

Indonesian English

Release Date:

8 November 2012 (Denmark)

Also Known As:

Actul de a ucide

Filming Locations:

Medan, Indonesia

Box Office

Budget:

$1,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$27,450, 21 July 2013, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$486,919

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$722,274

Company Credits

Production Co:

Final Cut for Real, Piraya Film A/S, Novaya Zemlya

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min 159 min (extended) 95 min (TV) 96 min (TV)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

An audience member after a screening in Berlin said that what director Joshua Oppenheimer had done was "like having SS officers re-enact the Holocaust." Oppenheimer responded that it is not the same at all 'because 'the Nazis are no longer in power', while the death squad members shown in the documentary are still being protected by the Indonesian government.

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Quotes

Anwar Congo: Imagine, in all this darkness, it's like we're living at the end of the world. We look around, there's only darkness. It's so very terrifying.

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Crazy Credits

The name "Anonymous" appears 49 times under 27 different crew positions in the credits. This was done to protect the identities of those crew members who feared retribution from the former Indonesian death squad leaders.

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Alternate Versions

For TV release (and related Internet video services), there is also 95/96 minute edition.

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Connections

References The Searchers (1956)

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Soundtracks

Theme for the Act of Killing
Composer: Karsten Fundal
Published by Edition Wilhlem Hansen
Performed by Clara Bryld, Andreas Estrup, Frederik Teige, Katinka Fogh Vindelev
Technician: Lars Falck
Recording Studio: Copenhagen Studios

User Reviews

You must see this movie, you simply must

It seems almost trivial to "rate" a movie that is this important but like some of the tothers i have given it a 10 because people need to see it.

I have never been as completely chilled by a film in my life, and I have seen plenty of brutal documentaries. The atrocities committed by the Indonesian death squads, and so vividly re-enacted, are not easy to watch and I expect that many people would rather just turn away and ignore them, but you owe it to yourselves to sit through them.

I have just finished reading Steven Pinker's excellent book The Better Angels of Our Nature in which he argues that humanity is far less violent now than we have ever been. That may be so, but if you are looking for a compelling counter-argument you can start with this film. I can assure that that you will never forget it.