The Act of Killing
First screened in August 2013
Director: Joshua Oppenheimer. Documentary about former executioners from the 1965-1966 military coup in Indonesia, now invited to recreate their crimes as cinematic spectacle. Interview subjects include Anwar Congo, Herman Koto, Sakhyan Asmara, Syamsul Arifin, Adi Zulkadry.
Twitter Capsule: Could use more context. Toes risky ethical lines but risk pays off. A stunning, sobering, sui generis artifact.

Photo © 2013 Drafthouse Films/Final Cut for Real
Not yet reviewed in full. Grade: A–


Academy Award Nominations:
Best Documentary Feature

Other Awards:
Berlin Film Festival: Audience Award (Panorama); Prize of the Ecumenical Jury (Panorama)
National Society of Film Critics: Best Documentary Feature (tie)
Boston Society of Film Critics: Best Documentary Feature
Chicago Film Critics Association: Best Foreign Language Film; Best Documentary Feature
European Film Awards: Best Documentary Feature

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