THE ACT OF KILLING To Be Available For Free To The People Of Indonesia
What’s the point in making a documentary like The Act of Killing if not to spur some sort of social change? Well, if you asked the folks at Drafthouse Films, they’d probably tell you there isn’t one. While distributor is currently releasing the film commercially across the US (I have to wait until mid-September to see it in Cleveland), soon the doc will be available to all of Indonesia. For free. In perpetuity.
Joshua Oppenheimer’s The Act of Killing examines the Indonesian genocide of 1965-66 by having death squad leaders of the day reenact their atrocities in the style of their favorite Hollywood films. Because the film will likely be banned from traditional release, Drafthouse Films is teaming with media company VICE and digital platform company VHX to make the film available online at www.actofkilling.com for residents of Indonesia starting on Sept. 30.
Why digital? An online release makes the film, which has screened at underground events in 95 Indonesian cities, more accessible to a wider audience while keeping viewers safe from attacks by paramilitary police. Hopefully this will be another moment of internet democracy in action.
Plus, instead of having a bunch of Americans watch the movie and then go back to their normal lives, as is often the case with such documentaries, Drafthouse Films is going above and beyond to actually make the documentary make a difference. Kudos.
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