‘Balibo’ movie review by John Barr

• The Film: Balibo – a true story of Australian journalists killed in East Timor
• The Audience: Anyone concerned about our international neighbourhood

The film ‘Balibo’ is based on the true story of five Australian journalists in East Timor in 1975 to report on the Indonesian invasion of this former Portuguese colony. Director, Bob Connelly has made a powerful film that traces events surrounding the deaths of these journalists in the tiny town of Balibo, situated near the border with Indonesia.

There are many poignant moments in this gritty thriller, for example when Shackleton and his colleagues are executed by Indonesian Special Forces infiltrating the country. Meanwhile, Roger East, a journalist in East Timor to investigate the five missing journalists, is executed in the docks in Dili as Indonesian troops seize the city. This is a challenging film and an authentic piece of work. ‘Balibo’ captures East Timor’s splendid natural beauty, yet this is offset by a number of powerful scenes that say much about the terror experienced at the time.

Importantly, while the movie captures a brutal incident in East Timor’s history, the film is really about the vulnerable and uncertain nature of our neighbours. East Timor and West Papua are still at risk, their communities living with the constant threat of conflict. This is something that my colleagues and I are all too aware of as we travel in the region. Sadly, there are likely to be more stories like ‘Balibo’.