40 Years of Silence: An Indonesian Tragedy

500,000 to 1,000,000 people were killed in Indonesia. The world looked away. 40 years later, four families break the silence.

January 1, 2009

1h 26m

Documentary

Overview

In one of the largest unknown mass-killings of the 20th century, an estimated 500,000 to 1,000,000 Indonesians were killed in 1965 when General Suharto began a purge of suspected “communists” through a complex and highly contested series of events–ultimately leading him to the presidency. 40 Years of Silence: An Indonesian Tragedy follows the compelling testimonies of four individuals and their families, as they break the silence with an intimate look at what it was like for survivors during Suharto’s New Order regime.

Directed by

Robert Lemelson