This week sees the release of one of the most praised documentaries of the year, Joshua Oppenheimer‘s The Act of Killing. The film takes an unsettling look at death squad leaders who carried out countless murders — and then asked to reenact them. Ahead of its release, Drafthouse Films got the documentary in front of two masters in the genre, Werner Herzog and Errol Morris, and they put their name behind it as executive producers. Backing up their claims, they’ve now taken part in a great 12-minute featurette giving their thoughts on the film and what it means for the documentary form, plus much more.
We were major fans of the film at South By Southwest this year, as our review says it is “one of the most dark and emotionally deafening documentaries I’ve ever witnessed” and “there’s no easy way to comprehend The Act of Killing’s total impact and how affecting it truly is. This is darkness and pure evil explored, a look behind the proverbial curtain.” If the film’s not on your radar yet, a viewing of the below video will certainly change your mind. We’ve also included a new clip from the, and see the trailer here if you missed it.
The Act of Killing opens tomorrow and expands throughout the summer.