Balibo is a 2009 Australian war film that follows the story of the Balibo Five, a group of journalists who were captured and killed while reporting on activities just prior to the Indonesian invasion of East Timor of 1975. The film is loosely based on the 2001 book Cover-Up by Jill Jolliffe, an Australian journalist who met the men before they were killed.
The film follows dishevelled journalist Roger East, played by Anthony LaPaglia, who travels to East Timor in 1975 to investigate the deaths of the Balibo Five during the buildup to the Indonesian invasion of East Timor. Oscar Isaac plays the young José Ramos-Horta, who would later receive the Nobel Peace Prize and become the second President of East Timor, who joins East in the movie.
Filming began on 30 June 2008, in Dili, East Timor, and the film was released the following year. It was produced by Arenafilm in Australia with Robert Connolly as director, David Williamson as screenwriter, and Professor Clinton Fernandes as historical consultant. LaPaglia, also an Executive Producer, named East as "probably the best role I've ever had".
Plot
The film starts when an Australian journalist interviewed a woman named Juliana, who as a young girl witnessed Roger East's capture and execution by the Indonesian invasion force.
The point of view goes first on Roger East's investigation upon the imminent Indonesian invasion of East Timor. Also, he investigates the fate of the Balibo Five, who was in Balibo covering the events in the area.
Then the point of view changes to the Balibo Five's actions in the town, from their departure in Australia, to their arrival in East Timor and was inserted in a Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor (abbreviated as FRETILIN from the Portuguese name) unit near the border.
Then the story interchanges between Roger East's attempted investigation upon the fate of the Five, and the Five's events in the area, and some of Juliana's story on the journo. Roger was with Jose Ramos-Horta as his bodyguard along the way, evading Indonesian patrols and seeing villages with massacred inhabitants, and also settled their arguments between Roger's insistence of knowing the truth and Jose's hesitance to assist such a risky move. While the Five were with a FRETILIN unit, up to the point of the Indonesian attack on their position.
They painted Australia upon the building to ensure their safety, but it was nothing to Indonesian invaders. The Five declined requests of their FRETILIN bodyguards to join them into the retreat from the area. The Five is then covering the invasion, when the Indonesian soldiers chased and cornered them. One of the cameramen tried to tell the soldiers to spare them, but was shot by the officer Yunus Yosfiah. Then, the soldiers breached the building, killing the 3 and the surviving journo was captured and repeatedly stabbed to death by a bayonet.
Then Roger's point of view ended when the Indonesians invade Dili with paratroopers and ground troops. He was captured with East Timorese men and Juliana watches as the men were executed by the Indonesians, women were segregated and raped, and Roger was executed by the Indonesian soldiers. The interviewer ended Juliana's interview and she leaves while hugging a child.
The film ends with the inscription that the murderers of the Balibo Five and Roger East were not put to justice and pictures from the groups, and scenes from Horta's rallies and later on, East Timorese enjoying the beach.
Cast
Anthony LaPaglia as Roger East
Oscar Isaac as José Ramos-Horta
Damon Gameau as Greg Shackleton
Gyton Grantley as Gary Cunningham
Nathan Phillips as Malcolm Rennie
Mark Winter as Tony Stewart
Thomas Wright as Brian Peters
Michael Stone as Interviewer
Bea Viegas as Juliana
Anamaria Barreto as Younger Juliana
Production
Balibo was the first feature film to be made in East Timor. Shooting in Dili began on 31 July 2008, with United Nations police closing off roads, to allow the scenes to be filmed. Gritty 16mm-to-35mm visuals shot at the actual locations where the events took place give a documentary-style texture.