The Act of Killing
Overview
In this chilling and groundbreaking documentary, former Indonesian death squad leaders reenact their real-life mass killings in the style of various film genres. As they recreate their past atrocities, the line between reality and performance blurs, exposing the lingering impact of Indonesia's 1965-66 anti-communist purge and the unsettling psychology of its perpetrators.
Where to Watch
Keywords
Trailer
Cast
Anwar Congo
Self - Executioner in 1965
Herman Koto
Self - Gangster & Paramilitary Leader
Syamsul Arifin
Self - Governor of North Sumatra
Ibrahim Sinik
Self - Newspaper Publisher
Yapto Soerjosoemarno
Self - Leader of Pancasila Youth
Safit Pardede
Self - Local Paramilitary Leader
Jusuf Kalla
Self - Vice President of Indonesia
Adi Zulkadry
Self - Fellow Executioner in 1965
Suryono
Self - Anwar's Neighbor
Haji Marzuki
Self - Member of North Sumatra Parliament
Images
Reviews(1)
Arrrrrrrach
February 18, 2017
The synopsis is available elsewhere and I have no idea how to review a film like this so here are a few simple lines: I have never seen anything remotely like this and would go as far as to say that it is one of the most honest portrayals of several aspects of the human psyche I have ever experienc…
Download Subtitles
Looking for subtitles in another language? Browse all subtitles in 50+ languages →
Recommended Movies
Fuck
10 Nov 2006
The Look of Silence
13 Nov 2014
Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story
30 Dec 2025
City of Ghosts
14 Jul 2017
Cover-Up
19 Dec 2025
Seaspiracy
24 Mar 2021
Night Will Fall
07 Jun 2014
Bikram: Yogi, Guru, Predator
10 Sept 2019
Room 237
26 Oct 2012
Finders Keepers
22 Jun 2015
The War on Democracy
15 Jun 2007
H.H. Holmes: America's First Serial Killer
26 Oct 2004
For Sama
26 Jul 2019
JFK Revisited: Through the Looking Glass
12 Nov 2021
Citizenfour
10 Oct 2014
Audrey
30 Nov 2020
Feminists: What Were They Thinking?
19 Feb 2018
Memories of a Murderer: The Nilsen Tapes
18 Aug 2021
Last Men in Aleppo
27 Feb 2017
My Mom Jayne
20 Jun 2025