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PBS Airs 'The Act of Killing'

When Joshua Oppenheimer started working on a film about the mid-1960s mass killings in Indonesia, he first spoke with survivors. But when the army threatened them, the survivors suggested he try and film the perpetrators instead. So he found the death squad leaders who boastfully re-enacted their war crimes for Oppenheimer in the style of their favorite Hollywood movies.

The resulting film, The Act of Killing, has been described as raw, terrifying and surreal. The Oscar-nominated film airs this evening on SDPB1 Television. Oppenheimer joined Dakota Midday and discussed the film.