JAGAL - The Act of Killing

This documentary takes an unsettling look at Indonesia’s dark past, centering on Anwar Congo and his fellow executioners who participated in mass killings of suspected communists following the failed coup of 1965. Rather than a conventional recounting, the film lets these men reenact their violent history, blending gangster film aesthetics, surreal musical numbers, and chillingly candid recollections. They openly describe their methods, often with grim enthusiasm, as they reconstruct scenes of executions, torture, and intimidation.

Yet, as the reenactments progress, cracks begin to show in their bravado. Anwar, initially portraying himself as a heroic figure, gradually finds himself confronting the ghosts of his actions. His dreams grow more disturbing, and the toll of his past becomes undeniable. The film forces viewers to grapple with how impunity, memory, and denial shape historical narratives—especially when the perpetrators still hold power. A deeply disturbing yet vital documentary, The Act of Killing exposes the unsettling ways in which history can be rewritten by those who wield it.

#IndonesianHistory #Documentary #HumanRights #PoliticalViolence