Multiple acts of killing

The Act of Killing is a fascinating episodic film documenting the personal consequences of Anwar Congo’s attempt to tell the tale of his exploits in the 1960s.1 Ini lah kita! (This is who we are!). A self-confessed executioner, Anwar celebrates his innovative killing techniques in the opening scenes of Joshua Oppenheimer’s film, before gradually falling into despair. One man’s nightmare helps bring to the fore wider social and political conflicts in Indonesia today, making this a unique cinematic achievement. There are limitations and flaws, however, and I agree with Jess Melvin that we should look beyond the film itself, asking “in what sort of society is boasting about participating in crimes against humanity something that is considered to be tolerable and even status enhancing? While there is no straightforward answer to this question, the seventy-page liputan khusus (special report) published by Tempo magazine in fall 2012 is a useful starting point, filling in some of the historical gaps in Oppenheimer’s film.