Last week, Copenhagen-based filmmaker Joshua Oppenheimer wrapped up his tour of the United States with screenings of The Act of Killing at the Walker. In addition showing the theatrical release (now playing at the Lagoon Cinema), he screened the full director’s cut, and held a Master Class on Saturday in the Walker Cinema.
The Act of Killing has been winning awards on the festival circuit and getting rave reviews from the New York Times, New York Magazine, and from filmmakers Werner Herzog and Errol Morris — who, immediately after viewing an early version of the film, signed on to be executive producers.
Attendees of the Master Class heard Oppenheimer talk about his next film — coming next year — which is drawn from Oppenheimer’s experiences making The Act of Killing. Footage from the new film — about a family who confronts those involved with their son’s death in 1965–66 massacres in Indonesia — will be drawn from the same 1,200 hours that made up The Act of Killing, as it is unsafe for Oppenheimer to travel back to Indonesia.
Film/Video Senior Curator Sheryl Mousley saw The Act of Killing when it debuted at the Telluride Film Festival almost a year ago and immediately knew she wanted to bring it, and Oppenheimer, to the Walker. (Executive director Olga Viso also saw the Telluride screening, dubbing The Act of Killing one of the top cultural moments of 2012.)
One of Oppenheimer’s biggest highlights from his visit? Witnessing the joyful celebrations of marriage equality as the first same-sex couples got married in Minneapolis on August 1.
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