The Port Fairy Film Society brings the acclaimed and highly anticipated Australian Film “Balibo” to Port Fairy Reardon Theatre this Friday April 16th. This will be the fourth Australian movie shown this year and continues the high standard of Australian films on offer.
BALIBO is a powerful political thriller that tells the true story of war crimes in East Timor that have been covered up for over thirty years.
The film made by writer/director Robert Connolly and based on the book “Cover Up” by Australian journalist Jill Joliffe, tells the true story of the events of November 1975 and the fate of five Australian journalists in East Timor in the lead-up to the invasion by Indonesia. Four weeks after they go missing, the veteran foreign correspondent Roger East (Anthony La Paglia) is lured to East Timor by the young and charismatic José Ramos-Horta (Oscar Isaac) to tell the story of his country and investigate the fate of the missing men. As East's determination to uncover the truth grows, the threat of invasion intensifies and an unlikely friendship develops between the last foreign correspondent in East Timor and the man who will become President.
The magnificence of a film like Balibo is that it engages a new audience who knows nothing of this extraordinary piece of history.
Erin Free film critic from Filminc Australia describes Balibo as
“An incredible film with a well crafted script, beautiful cinematography and a touching story that exposes a deep anger and sorrow.”
Margaret Pomeranz from “At the Movies” agrees;
“I think it’s an important film for this country. I am giving it four stars”
Due to the huge demand for Film Society movies so far in 2010, there will be two planned screenings for Balibo this Friday, one at 7:30 and a later screening at 10pm. Doors open at 7:10pm.
Balibo is rated M. Free tea and coffee available.
