Balibo. An Australian film. A film that has educated me.
Why, they ask are the Australians not helping us?
When the Japanese invaded they did help us?
Why, they ask are the Portuguese not helping us, we’re still a Portuguese colony
Who, they ask will pay for the terrible damage to our homes
My main answer was that Australia would not send forces here…. That’s impossible. However, I said we could ask that Australia raise this fighting at the United Nations – that was possible.
At that, the second in charge rose to his feet, exclaimed, “Camarade Journaliste”, shook my hand, the rest shook my hand and we were applauded because we are Australians.
That’s all they want…… for the United Nations to care about what is happening here. The emotion here last night was so strong that we, all three of us, felt we should be able to reach out into the warm night air and touch it.
Greg Shackleton at an unnamed village that we will remember forever in Portuguese Timor.”
Produced by Arena Films, based on the Indonesians invasion on East Timor and the five Australian TV Reporters who where killed in 1975.
The film interweaves with a veteran journalist, Roger East (Executive Producer Anthony LaPaglia) who starts off brave, unafraid and blunt until he meets Jose Ramos-Horta (Oscar Isaac) the secretary of Foreign Affairs who wants to save East Timor and tries involve East to help him. East refuses until Ramos-Horta leaves him the photographs of the Australian reporters who are missing in the town of Balibo.
The story is told though Roger East and Jose Ramos-Horta, giving the film much more significance. This technique of story telling adds a lot of suspense because both of the men know that there is more at risk than the five TV reporters.
The film rewinds back a month with the use of snapshots showing the Australian TV Reports: Greg Shackleton (Damon Gameau), Gary Cunningham (Gyton Grantley), Malcolm Rennie (Nathan Philips), Brian Peters (Thomas Write) and Tony Stewart (Mark Leonard Winter)saying goodbye and departing there loved ones to leave for East Timor. Bear in mind they are all under the age of 30.
Throughout their journey, they where constantly warned of the danger of filming in Balibo, however, they wanted to film the invasion hoping it would force the world to pay attention to what was happening to the lives in East Timor, unaware of the dangers that lay ahead.
Some scenes, unbearable to watch, Balibo creates an extreme patriotic empathy carrying important messages to the worlds society, the film speaks of great importance in holding those in high power, accountable for what happened in history.
Balibo is a political thriller that tells the true story of crimes that have been covered up for over thirty years.
“Balibo is a story that demands to be told”. - Connolly
"I couldn't concieve why Australia could not help when we where only an hour away" - Anthony LaPaglia as to why he wanted to make this film - AIF, Los Angeles Screening. "We only had one make-up artist, one person in costumes and sometime the actors would hold the boom on their days off. The crew of 18 all helped each other."
Trailer:
Greg Shackleton’s Last Report:
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