Having watched ‘The Act of Killing’ years ago as a part of the Harvard Seal program, we are especially excited for the upcoming event featuring Joshua Oppenheimer’s companion piece ‘The Look of Silence’. Reopening unforgotten wounds and forcing the perpetrators out of the suffocating silence behind which they’ve been hiding for the past fifty years, are a couple of things on this follow-up documentary’s agenda. As Joshua accompanies Adi, the brother of one of the 1965 Indonesian genocide victims, on a quest for redemption and closure, all they ask for is acknowledgment and accountability on behalf of those they confront – a task that proves itself to be particularly challenging for a culture that has been muted and blinded by the atrocities of its own history.
Following the Harvard Seal tradition when it comes to exceptionally sensitive screenings, we will be holding the post-film discussion at a private venue to promote the kind of intimate conversations we expect will derive from this powerful film. Needless to say, opinions and observations will be respectfully controversial, unpredictable and thought-provoking. If this kind of chitchat is your jam, if you’ve been charmed by Joshua Oppenheimer ever since his Oscar nomination, or you simply enjoy free snacks and good company, don’t hesitate to get in touch!
You can join the HS Doc Club Facebook page or mailing list for more details about when are where you can find us.
If you weren’t acquainted with Harvard Seal in 2012, or just skimmed over ‘The Act of Killing’ on Netflix, don’t worry! – The two films are related, but stand-alone entities.