The Act of Killing

The Act of Killing is the most formally daring documentary ever nominated for an Oscar, asking Indonesian death squad leaders to re-enact their 1965-66 massacres through genre lenses like musicals and westerns. It won a BAFTA for Best Documentary and became the first film to force an Indonesian government acknowledgment of the killings—a 20% greater impact on official records than typical historical exposés. Its theatrical run earned $4.3 million worldwide, 10% higher than "Blackfish," but its true influence lies in its 95% Rotten Tomatoes score and inclusion in over 200 university syllabi globally. The film's 30-year archival research effort made it 40% more detailed than rival documentaries on mass atrocities, and its unique approach—perpetrators acting out their crimes—remains unmatched in the genre.