In this blog post, we will analyze the structure and core message of Joshua Oppenheimer’s documentary ‘The Look of Silence’ and examine its significance. Structural Analysis The documentary ‘The Look of Silence’ unfolds as “Adi,” an optician, personally tracks down the perpetrators who murdered his older brother “Ramli” after 50 years to ask them about the massacre...
How does Joshua Oppenheimer’s ‘The Act of Killing’ reveal the “responsibility” for the 1965 Indonesian massacre through the stories of Ramli and Adi?
In this blog post, we will examine how Adi’s pursuit—through the lens of ‘The Act of Killing’’s narrative and documentary techniques—exposes the perpetrators’ arrogance and societal amnesia, and what it demands of the audience. Film Overview Genre: Documentary / Country of Production: Denmark / Director: Joshua Oppenheimer. Synopsis: Amid the memories of the 1965 Indonesian...
Analysis of the Film “Silent Gaze”: Documentary-Style Narrative and Analysis of Sequences by Type
In this blog post, I will summarize the reasons for selecting the film “Silent Gaze,” its plot, analysis by genre and sequence, and my concluding thoughts. Reasons for Selection In April 2014, while I was serving in the military as a riot police officer with the 3rd Mobile Brigade, the Sewol Ferry disaster occurred. The state has a duty to protect its citizens, but it was only natural that...
Where Does Guilt Go When Perpetrators Reenact the Massacre in ‘The Act of Killing’?
In this blog post, I will examine how the psychology of the perpetrators and social memory intertwine through the reenactment scenes and the testimonies of the participants in ‘The Act of Killing’. Film Information and Reasons for Selection ‘The Act of Killing’ is a 2013 documentary co-produced by Denmark, Norway, and the United Kingdom, which was released in South...
The Armadillo: How Do Soldiers Change Amidst the Routine of War?
This blog post explores how soldiers transform their emotions and values within an environment where war becomes routine, using the film The Armadillo as a lens. It delves deeply into the ethical questions this transformation poses to us. Watching ‘Armadillo’, which vividly captures the stories of soldiers who fought against the Taliban for six months at the frontline base Armadillo, gave...
‘The House That Jack Built’: How Far Can Art Be Permitted?
This blog post examines how far violence can be justified in the name of art through the film ‘The House That Jack Built’. Lars von Trier’s ‘The House That Jack Built’: Built and Demolished Since 1896, cinema has undergone continuous development, presenting diverse visions as a visual art form and creating a world that only moving images—beyond text—can construct. Throughout this...
The Hunt: How Can Stereotypes and Confirmation Bias Destroy Lives?
This blog post examines how stereotypes and confirmation bias can shatter an individual’s daily life and lead to collective violence, using the film The Hunt as a case study. The film ‘The Hunt’, which I recently watched, provokes much thought on psychological elements and offers numerous points for reflection on our own everyday perspectives. It shockingly depicts how an...