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Performativity, role reversal and disruptions in Joshua Oppenheimer’s The Act of Killing
- Source: Drama Therapy Review, Volume 2, Issue 1, Apr 2016, p. 123 - 135
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- 01 Apr 2016
Abstract
Abstract
The Act of Killing (2012) has been both praised for its innovative approach to documentary film-making and criticized for its historical ‘inaccuracies’ and potential ethical problems. This article offers a new reading of the documentary through a drama therapy lens, highlighting the performativity of the perpetrators and history itself, the power of role reversals towards collective healing by bringing one closer to the horror of their actions, and the importance of disrupting traditional genocide narratives for the viewing audience. This analysis points to new directions in working directly with perpetrators of mass violence and trauma.
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