The Act of Killing (2012)

After befriending documentarian Joshua Oppenheimer, former Indonesian death squad leaders reenact their real-life mass killings in the style of various American film genres. As they recreate their past atrocities, the line between reality and performance blurs, exposing the lingering impact of Indonesia's 1965-66 anti-communist purge and the unsettling psychology of its perpetrators.

Genres: Documentary, History

What to watch after The Act of Killing

• The Look of Silence (2014) — Same subject: indonesia, genocide
• Cuba and the Cameraman (2017) — Two steps away in the credits
• The Thin Blue Line (1988)
• Lessons of Darkness (1992) — Werner Herzog produced both
• Mr. Death: The Rise and Fall of Fred A. Leuchter, Jr. (1999) — Same feel: disturbing, dark
• Collective (2019) — Same subject: corruption