The Act of Killing_
"A story of killers who win and the society they build."
In this chilling and groundbreaking documentary, former Indonesian death squad leaders reenact their real-life mass killings in the style of various 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.
Updated Feb 16, 2026
WHERE TO WATCH
DocPlay
1 country
B
Beamafilm
FREE
1 country
Kanopy
FREE
1 country
Fawesome
FREE
1 country
Filmin
1 country
I
iWonder Full Amazon channel
1 country
ALL REGIONS
DROPTHE_ GOSSIP
Box office
The Act of Killing earned $723K against a $1.0M budget.
Joshua Oppenheimer →
Year context
The Act of Killing was released 14 years ago in 2012.
CAST (14)
AC
Anwar Congo
Self - Executioner in 1965
HK
Herman Koto
Self - Gangster & Paramilitary Leader
SA
Syamsul Arifin
Self - Governor of North Sumatra
IS
Ibrahim Sinik
Self - Newspaper Publisher
YS
Yapto Soerjosoemarno
Self - Leader of Pancasila Youth
SP
Safit Pardede
Self - Local Paramilitary Leader
JK
Jusuf Kalla
Self - Vice President of Indonesia
AZ
Adi Zulkadry
Self - Fellow Executioner in 1965
S
Suryono
Self - Anwar's Neighbor
HM
Haji Marzuki
Self - Member of North Sumatra Parliament
HA
Haji Anif
Self - Paramilitary Leader & Businessman
RS
Rahmat Shah
Self - Member of Parliament
SA
Sakhyan Asmara
Self - Deputy Minister of Youth & Sport
SS
Soaduon Siregar
Self
CREW
Director
BOX OFFICE
$1.0M
Budget
$723K
Revenue
-28%
ROI
UNDERPERFORMED
Verdict
STUDIOS (4)
Final Cut for Real
Piraya Film
Novaya Zemlya
Spring Films
AWARDS (1)
B
European Film Award for Best Documentary
2013
WON
DETAILS
Release
Status
Released
Runtime
117 min (1h 57m)
Language
ID
Country
Rating
7.7/10 (741 votes)
Popularity
4
Budget
$1,000,000
Box Office
$722,714
Profit
$-277,286
IMDB
Trailer
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is The Act of Killing about?
In this chilling and groundbreaking documentary, former Indonesian death squad leaders reenact their real-life mass killings in the style of various 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.
How long is The Act of Killing?
The Act of Killing has a runtime of 117 minutes (1h 57m).
Who directed The Act of Killing?
The Act of Killing was directed by Joshua Oppenheimer.
Who stars in The Act of Killing?
The cast of The Act of Killing includes Anwar Congo, Herman Koto, Syamsul Arifin, Ibrahim Sinik, Yapto Soerjosoemarno.
How much did The Act of Killing make at the box office?
The Act of Killing earned $722,714 worldwide at the box office. The production budget was $1,000,000.
What is the rating of The Act of Killing?
The Act of Killing has a rating of 7.7 out of 10 based on 741 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (2)
Documentary
History
KEYWORDS (6)
corruption
indonesia
genocide
indonesian genocide
political documentary
social & cultural documentary