Balibo (2009) User Reviews

Beautifully done.

[ken_westmoreland · 8/10 · 12 July 2009]

As someone with a long-standing interest in the history of East Timor, I had mixed feelings about this film, and how the people and events would be depicted. However, Robert Connolly did a great job, considering all of the constraints of a limited budget that he had. It did not go into minute detail about the historical events, but nor did it dumb down and sex up.

What happened to the Balibo Five and Roger East is only a very small fraction of the story of what happened in East Timor in 1975, and there will be accusations that the deaths of half a dozen Westerners are given more prominence than what happened to a far greater number of East Timorese. However, the East Timorese actors in the film, none of whom were professional actors, were tremendous - not least as they were reenacting events that they and their families were familiar with.

Good Political drama about Indonesian invasion of East Timor

[mrcibubur · 7/10 · 1 January 2010]

This is a very objective and intelligent film about the Indonesian invasion of East Timor AND five Australian journalists efforts to try and tell the story. It is beautifully filmed and bravo to the amateur local actors used in the film.

No answers are given why foreign help was not forthcoming and why Indonesia invaded at all.

Balibo is a place in East Timor where terrible tortures of locals happened and where the five journalists went in search of the story.

this is a war film in the cast of Tunnels Rats and Killing Fields, produced on a budget quite clearly. I live in Indonesia and I found it enlightening if not completely informative.

the film needed to be careful not to focus on the ultimate death of the journalists balanced against the death of the many local timorese.

Nothing bad about this film, though those in the know yes will criticise the technical issues of the film such as wrong guns etc but remember again budget movie!

OK, but not great

[grantss · 6/10 · 13 February 2016]

OK, but not great. Powerful subject, handled with the right degree of respect and gravity. Yet, it is missing something to make it truly interesting. Seems to drag, particularly in the early and middle stages, and, in some ways, feel like a documentary.

Robert Connolly's direction often leaves a lot to be desired: odd/bad camera angles, unsteady tracking shots.

Decent performances though, especially by Anthony LaPaglia as Roger East and Oscar Isaac as Jose Ramos-Horta.

Worth watching for educational purposes, and to show the depths to which humans will sink, but don't watch it hoping for a great drama.

Good but obviously edited down

[team-26 · 7/10 · 30 September 2009]

In the tradition of The Killing Fields, this is a very good film bringing atrocities and the silent complicity of Western governments in those atrocities to a wider audience. Students of writers such as John Pilger will be aware of what happened after the Indonesians invaded East Timor in 1975, and how after the invasion the Australian government did nothing other than to take a stake in the oil and gas reserves around the island. Anthony La Paglia plays the central role of journalist Roger East who goes to East Timor to investigate the disappearance of five journalists who have preceded him there to report on the impending Indonesian invasion. The fate of the five is pretty obvious from the start but we are drawn in to joining East in his quest to find out the 'how' and the 'when' if not 'what' befell them.

We are not given much explanation of what East has been through before to make him state halfway through the film that he cannot carry on and wants to return home to Australia nor into what makes him undergo a complete volte face in the last twenty minutes and take the insane risk of staying in the face of a brutal Indonesian invasion. This is a weak point of the film that might well be explained in a longer director's cut. That being said, there is a slow section in the middle showing how East gets through the jungle back from Balibo to Dilli that could have usefully been trimmed or cut altogether.

For all those criticisms this is an absorbing and thoughtful account of what went on in a little-known part of the world under the noses of the West (which did nothing to stop a massacre). La Paglia's performance is never less than solid, and Walter Isaacs clearly has a great future ahead of him. If it falls a little short of being a great film this is still one that is worth the price of admission.

impressive

[Kirpianuscus · 13 May 2017]

about war. and pain, and sufferance and hope. about people. and about the ideals. a film who reminds more than presents. because it is a simple story. not different but other stories of hate and idealism. but , impressive for the remarkable performances and for the atmosphere. for its message . and for the science to give a deeper image about a tragedy near us . to redefine the image and purpose of media. and to present the right portrait of the need to help against risks and against fear.

Little known

[fmwongmd · 6/10 · 16 May 2019]

A little known story about genocide in East Timor is well portrayed by Anthony LaPaglia and Oscar Isaac.

Excellent film

[patlightfoot · 9/10 · 16 December 2009]

Beside being a fan of Anthony Lapaglia I think he is a very under rated actor. But he won the Best Actor at the AFI awards last Saturday. And I believe he had to relearn his Australian accent having spent so many years in the US of A. From a historical point of view I remember the year but had no idea Roger East was involved in the search for the five missing journalists.

But I do remember that Australia was viewing Indonesia with a wary eye. They had a well equipped Army and Whitlam had just been elected as PM. And we had just pulled out of Vietnam. And the Fetilin were considered communists (like the North Vietnamese) hence I believe Australia's lack of support for them.

I recall one military expert warning us, Indonesia could prove a threat to Australia one day? Timor is only about 70 miles, I believe from Australia's Northern coast line.

However, the film being set in East Timor was very well put together and edited. Considering it was on a strict budget, and the environment they were filming in is still a sensitive part of the world. Since the film was screened one Indonesian man has stepped forward to say he was there and executed the Bilabo five under orders (of course!) although his account has been refuted (of course!) by the 'powers that be' in Indonesia.

Now they have banned it seems to suggest they don't like it and I wonder why? Possibly because with the Muslim terrorists active in the area could drive them to more acts of violence against Australia.

However, cinematography, music and also the script certainly should commend it to serious film buffs. I found the accents of some of the East Timorese when speaking English, sometimes hard to understand, but that might be just me of course. I don't consider it a spoiler though.

I hope it gets nominated for the Academy Awards certainly Anthony's acting deserves some recognition. Well done all those East Timorese who stood in to take on their roles when those events and subsequent atrocities are still fresh in the older generation's minds.

I hired it on DVD by the way in Australia.

The best non-comedy Australian Film I have seen

[uncledoza · 9/10 · 2 August 2009]

Born a decade on from the events depicted in this film I new little of the story of the occupation and take over of then Portuguese Timor , even though I was avid History student in school. By the end of this film my eyes were well an truly open.

This movie left with so many conflicting emotions. Angered with brutality and senselessness of human violence and cold cruelty towards other beings, mixed with the marvel of a truly well told film. Brilliant acting, with a pace that never seems to linger despite the seriousness of the topic.

Truly worth the price of admission

Justice for the Balibo 5.

This is a Story of Unrevealed in Indonesia

[sofandre-syabanu · 10/10 · 1 January 2010]

I am a Indonesian and this movie shows up cruelty within Soeharto (president) and Tentara Nasional Indonesia (army). I am so shame that a story which is revealed so sadly. But it is a nice movie and thank you for the director that makes it so honest.

For the rest comment, I would like to encourage all Indonesians to watch this movie. Because somehow you have to learned that maybe this is the real and truth histories, since Soeharto makes us foolish with "fake" histories. I hope with this movie the peace will spread to all nations.

What can I say for more, this is a great and hilarious movie.

Historically inaccurate.

[oscarutomofisika · 1/10 · 13 May 2012]

This movie is historically inaccurate and over exaggerated. Some facts about the real historical events:

-The journalist Roger East was never cajoled out of his public service job by the young Fretilin foreign spokesman Jose Ramos Horta to work in East Timor, and nor did Ramos-Horta hand him an AUSTEO (Australian Eyes Only) dossier on the Balibo Five

-East and Ramos-Horta never trekked on foot to Balibo, and nor were they attacked by a US helicopter along the way.

-The Indonesians didn't attack up the hill in front of the Balibo fort, but from around the back of the village.

-The senior commander of the Balibo operation for the Indonesian army, Colonel Dading Kalbuadi, didn't put a pistol to the head of the journalist Brian Peters and shoot him dead. He was 10 km away at the time.

-East wasn't captured trying to send his last report from Dili's Marconi radio office.

-And it's unlikely that General Benny Murdani, the Indonesian army intelligence chief, was observing the executions of East and Timorese people on the Dili wharf on 8 December, dressed in a white safari suit, though he did parachute into Dili some time that day.

Potent Film Even With Historic 'Omissions'

[nomail1111 · 9/10 · 6 July 2013]

I wish I knew the names of every single person whose unwarranted death is represented by this film. To honor them. To remember. Instead, we do have this version of a story, which in itself is a stark reminder of the horror of the Indonesian invasion of East Timor. Intelligent viewers are usually fully aware that any film cannot possibly contain all the details, nuances and even accuracies of a great story. The film does more than merely insinuate the negligence of Australia, the US, and so forth, though some could miss this altogether.

Those of us who were the same age as the journalists around which the story focuses have been well-trained to read between the lines, or view between the frames as it were. So, you can view this as a suspenseful tale half-told, or whatever you wish. All war is atrocious. Here, one seemingly small story resonates through the decades, enough to make us want to know more. Hopefully stories like this will help prevent the world sitting idly by as similar atrocities continue elsewhere. Peace. (Would it could occur everywhere.) Mr. LaPaglia brings a wealth of understanding and compassion to his role as the lone Australian who embarks on a search to learn the truth about five missing Australian journalists. Told through the eyes of a little girl, now an adult, who witnessed the massacre of innocents, this film is indeed riveting. Kudos to the director Robert Connolly and all the cast and crew of this remarkable, though gut-wrenching, film - Balibo.

Search online for the article titled East Timor Questions & Answers by Stephen R. Shalom, Noam Chomsky, & Michael Albert, Oct 99. It will fill in some gaps.

Balibo: Tense East Timor Testament

[kevin-rennie · 8/10 · 17 August 2009]

Robert Connolly's Balibo is a compelling political thriller. It "is a true story" based on Jill Jolliffe's book, Cover-Up.

It is in fact four stories:

* The story of five Australian journalists who were murdered at Balibo by the Indonesian forces that invaded East Timor in 1975.

* Of Roger East, an Australian journalist who sought the truth about their deaths.

* Of Juliana who testifies as an adult to her experiences in Dili as an eight year old.

* Of the spirit of the East Timorese people as embodied in their current President José Ramos Horta.

Connolly and playwright David Williamson have constructed a script that has avoided potential pitfalls associated with layers of flashbacks. At times the pace faltered as the context or the suspense was being established.

There is little attempt to present detailed characterisations of the Balibo 5. Damon Gameau as Greg Shackleton is the focus of the group. His re-enactment of Shackleton's famous TV report from the frontline is impressive. You can compare the two on the website. The rivalry between the Channel 9 and Channel 7 crews continues today, though in a less friendly way.

Anthony LaPaglia gives a very convincing performance as Roger East. He has enough weight both figuratively and literally to carry off the role of a seedy, disillusioned journo.

Oscar Isaac manages the difficult job of the young José Ramos Horta. Fortunately he does not try imitating this distinctive and well-known personality.

Gyton Grantley (Gary Cunningham), Nathan Phillips (Malcolm Rennie), Mark Winter (Tony Stewart) and Thomas Wright (Brian Peters) show the depth of Australian acting talent. As does Simon Stone as ABC journalist Tony Maniaty.

The East Timorese cast are exceptional. Anamaria Barreto meets the high expectations of child actors these days as young Juliana. Her parents are Timorese and she lives in Darwin. Bea Viegas gives an intense, moving portrayal of the adult Juliana. Osme Gonsalves also impresses as Ximenes, a Fretlin soldier. It is difficult to find out the names of many of the actors as they are not listed on the website or IMDb.

The film raises many questions about the political responsibility for what happened and the need for justice to be done. This is a dark part of both Indonesian and Australian history. It does not attempt any definitive answers. That would be another movie. The historical background is analysed in depth and can be accessed through the official website.

Balibo works very effectively as both a political statement and a personal drama.

See it!

Cinema Takes: http://cinematakes.blogspot.com/

A real hell of '75

[videorama-759-859391 · 8/10 · 7 November 2016]

Here's a different kind of horror story, cause it's true. A beefed up La Paglia, plays real life journalist Roger East, encouraged by a young activist from Timor, to do a story of five Aussie journalists who have just disappeared. They were traveling to Balibo, where we see two stories in play, between La Paglia and Company, and the five journal's ride to death, where the last ten minutes of the movie, hits hard and will affect, especially people who were there, when the country fell under evil Indonesian rule for the next, twenty four years, from which the activist who fled from the country all that time, returned, where there were no hard feelings from other people. La Paglia is really good, but so is the rest of the cast, Gameau's performance I really liked, apart from him being such a likable actor. The period is captured really well, again, a warning of what a dangerous place East Timor was. There are some scenes that will disturb, one in particular brought back memories of the scene in Salvador, with all those stretched out bodies in that big round pit. The story is a young surviving woman, who was a little girl at the time, where the little actress gave a cute performance. A really very disciplined approach to story.

Great movies but not really accurate

[rgr-rider · 9/10 · 22 December 2009]

Greetings ,im from Indonesia

This film maybe speak the truth of the real events on Balibo 75, the version of truth by the Western people (including Australians of course) and pro-Fretilin people,like Jose Ramos Horta. But it totally different with our version (Hey,Im from Indonesia) ,we believe that 5 Australians journalist died because their hideout place was burned by some explosive (maybe some mortar or grenade) during 4 hours war in Balibo near the Chinese house. We didn't yet know what actually happens there.. And the other truth. Yes,our troop (Indonesian) invade that country with the authorization of the US Government,including US President (Who left Indonesia 2 days before the invasion begin). US Government also send us lot of modern military stuff for invade East Timor (Such as OV10 Bronco, Bell 205 and 412). And Roger East also being executed and they dispose his body to the ocean..Im sorry but lot of Indonesian people still believe that Roger East being executed by Fretilin because he know some secret in Balibo that make Fretilin kill him.

Well..this maybe some other version of the international version stories

And I watch this film and it have a little thing that irritating me. I think the Director of the Balibo (Mr.Robert Connoly) less accurate for the detail of the real Indonesian soldier equipment during that times. The first, It didn't shows any M16A1 carried by Indonesian troops (Lot of them just carry AK47 / Type 56 and some bring G3) ,Indonesian troops use a lot of M16A1 during that war,and also Ak / RPK. the second , we using Bell Huey for transport the troops,not a Gunship. We already have the brand new Bo105 with FFAR rockets and mini gun, for the gunship choppers when in East Timor during that period. and last , HEY! We are not a fictional country in South America movies, we didn't use any DC3 / C47 again since West Papua war over. Indonesian airborne troop using the modern of C130 Hercules during the invasion, and the similar plane of DC3 only The Gunship AC47 for supporting fire.

otherwise. Balibo still a great movies. Recommended for a people who love to watch some real event of political thriller movies

• Still Looking for the truth of the event..

Balibo Five

[redtiago · 8/10 · 20 December 2022]

It portrays the events that took place in East Timor, present-day Timor Lorosai, after Portugal left, a few months after independence was declared, before and during the invasion by Indonesia. Following the story of the "Balibo Five" a group of five journalists (2 Australian, 2 British and 1 New Zealander) who were executed at the point of surrender while covering the Indonesian invasion of Timor in 1975.

A young Ramos Horta, at the time the country's Foreign Secretary, invited the renowned war correspondent Roger East, a freelancer at the service of the Australian Associated Press, to be Fretilin's press chief and report on the invasion, he was reluctant but informed of the disappearance of the five journalists, leaves for Timor to conduct an investigation.

It's a film that doesn't try to reinvent the wheel, but it's very effective and competent both on a technical level and in terms of narrative. This one is a little confusing at first, but it becomes clearer over the course of the film.

I highlight the great work of actor Anthony LaPlagia in the role of a matured Roger East, no longer so fearless, bitter and reluctant but always dignified and pursuing the truth.

A good film that portrays the events that took place with historical loyalty, I recommend it.

piece of fresco

[Vincentiu · 28 July 2013]

a film about East Timor. only at first sigh. in fact, a film about basic values of humanity.piece of a large and painful chronicle but, in same measure, a warning. its virtue - it can be more than picture of a case. it is an artistic form of testimony and the beauty and force of images are remarkable. but, in same measure, it is an honest manifesto about media role in political crisis, about sufferance, about the other. and this fact define it in same measure than nuances of performance - Anthony LaPaglia does an impressive role who represents mirror of a cruel reality. A film about essence of a world. not only a territory from Asia but remember of fight for liberty and respect in each part of world, of each period.