The Killing Season

This documentary confronts the architects of Indonesia's 1965-66 mass killings, offering a chilling and unprecedented look into the perpetrators' own perspectives. Director Joshua Oppenheimer revisits the sites of atrocities and interviews the men who led the killings, some of whom are still in power today. The film explores the chilling ease with which ordinary men committed extraordinary atrocities and the enduring impact on Indonesian society.

The Killing Season received widespread critical acclaim, with many praising its bold and deeply unsettling approach to confronting historical trauma. Critics lauded Oppenheimer's unflinching gaze at the perpetrators and the film's ability to elicit disturbing confessions and reflections from those responsible for mass murder. While deeply disturbing, the documentary was recognized for its significant contribution to understanding genocide and the psychology of perpetrators.

• A profoundly disturbing yet essential examination of the perpetrators of genocide.

• Oppenheimer's courageous and unflinching directorial style elicits horrifying confessions.

• The film is a vital historical document that forces viewers to confront the banality of evil.

Google audience: Google users largely praised "The Killing Season" for its brave and important subject matter, acknowledging its difficulty but also its necessity. Many found the film a powerful, albeit harrowing, exploration of historical atrocities and the minds of those who committed them.

Nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, and won awards at various international film festivals including the Amsterdam International Documentary Film Festival.

Director Joshua Oppenheimer stated that many of the former perpetrators he interviewed were happy to participate and even reenact their killings, often glorifying their actions, because they had never been held accountable for their crimes and were celebrated as heroes in their communities.