The Act of Killing - Masters of War

Director Joshua Oppenheimer explores the aftermath of the 1965-1966 Indonesian mass killings, where over a million people were murdered by paramilitary groups. The film focuses on former death squad leaders who reenact their atrocities for the camera, proudly glorifying their actions. By blending documentary footage with dramatized re-creations, it forces both the perpetrators and the audience to confront the chilling consequences of violence, delving into the psychology of impunity and the complexities of memory and guilt.

This screening will be introduced by Dr. Santy Kouwagam, postdoc at the Van Vollenhoven Institute for Law, Governance and Society. She is a legal scholar and practitioner with deep expertise in Indonesian law and a broad understanding of multiple jurisdictions, including English, German, French, American, and Singaporean legal systems. Her work focuses on comparative legal analysis, bridging diverse legal traditions, and addressing complex cross-border legal issues.