Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 48 wins & 45 nominations total

Videos2

A teacher propagates the existing rhetoric on the Indonesian genocide to his pupils.

Adi’s mother, Rohani, stretches her weary body.

Adi and his mother, Rohani, share a solemn moment.

Joshua Oppenheimer in The Look of Silence (2014)

Joshua Oppenheimer and Adi Rukun at an event for The Look of Silence (2014)

Adi Rukun at an event for The Look of Silence (2014)

Joshua Oppenheimer at an event for The Look of Silence (2014)

Adi Rukun

Self - brother of murdered Ramli Rukunas Self - brother of murdered Ramli Rukun

M.Y. Basrun

Self - former commander of a civilian militiaas Self - former commander of a civilian militia

Amir Hasan

Self - former leader of death squadas Self - former leader of death squad
(archive footage)

Inong

Self - former leader the village death squadas Self - former leader the village death squad

Kemat

Self - survivor from Snake River massacreas Self - survivor from Snake River massacre

Joshua Oppenheimer

Selfas Self
(voice)
(as Josh)

Amir Siahaan

Self - former commander of Snake River death squadsas Self - former commander of Snake River death squads

Ted Yates

Self - reporter, NBC Newsas Self - reporter, NBC News
(archive footage)

An Indonesian man with a communist background named Ramli was brutally murdered when the "Communist" purge occurred in 1965. His remaining family members lived in fear and silence until the making of this documentary. Adi, a brother of his, decided to revisit the horrific incident and visited the men who were responsible for the killings and one survivor of the purge. These meetings uncovered sadistic details of the murders and exposed raw emotions and reactions of the killers' family members about what happened in the past - much to Adi's disappointment.

torture ophthalmologist genocide indonesia self justification 11 more

Taglines
- Profound, Visionary, Stunning.
Genres
Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
- Rated PG - 13 for thematic material involving disturbing graphic descriptions of atrocities and inhumanity
Parents guide

Trivia
Adi and his family moved thousands of kilometers away to the other side of the country, out from under the shadow of the perpetrators who are still powerful situation in North Sumatra.

Quotes
Himself, brother of murdered Ramli Rukun: Tell me about that madness.
Himself, former leader the village death squad: Some killed so many people who have gone mad. A man climbed a palm tree, every morning, to call for prayer. Killed too many people. There is only one way to avoid it. Drink the blood or go crazy. But if you drink blood, you can do anything.
Himself, brother of murdered Ramli Rukun: [Testing the eyeglasses] What do you think...
Himself, former leader the village death squad: Salty and sweet. The human blood.
Himself, brother of murdered Ramli Rukun: Pardon?
Himself, former leader the village death squad: Human blood is salty and sweet. I know from experience.

Connections
Edited into P.O.V.: The Look of Silence (2016)

Soundtracks
Lukisan Malam
music by E. Sambayon & lyrics by Sakti Alamsyah
performed by Sam Saimun
courtesy of Irama Records

Top review

9/10

The Look Of Slicing

I didn't really know much about the mass killings in Indonesia in the 1960's before watching this documentary, but something about it was so compelling and unbelievable that it practically was a mini-ww2. The Indonesian government at the time were very much like Nazi's, which is sickening, and this documentary brings light about the disgraceful ways religious propaganda can persuade people to kill.

What I got out of this documentary was that many of the killers didn't know what a communist was, let alone think they were people. They were spun lies about the communists and many took joy in killing them. One of the most eye opening documentaries I've seen, amongst one of the most sadistic and terrible mass killings in history.

helpful•15

5