
Balibo
Balibo is a 2009 Australian war film that follows the story of the Balibo Five, a group of journalists who were captured and killed while reporting on activities just prior to the Indonesian invasion of East Timor of 1975. While historically accurate, the film is loosely based on the 2001 book Cover-Up by Jill Jolliffe, an Australian journalist who met the men before they were killed.
Plot
The story is seen through the eyes of veteran journalist Roger East. Introduced as a once-fearless foreign correspondent now working in PR in Darwin, East is drawn to East Timor by José Ramos-Horta of Fretilin; then the fledgling republic's charismatic young secretary of foreign affairs. Initially refusing to become involved, East changes his tune after Ramos-Horta shows him photos of five Australian TV reporters missing in the border town of Balibo.
More details
author | David Williamson |
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contentLocation | East Timor |
director | Robert Connolly |
editor | Nick Meyers |
events | war correspondent |
genre | drama historical |
keywords | balibo five border town cunning film foreign correspondent fretilin gather greg shackleton id josé ramos-horta pr public relations remember roger east saying goodbye struggle for independence survive terrify tv reporter |
musicBy | Lisa Gerrard |
producer | Anthony LaPaglia Dominic Purcell |
publisher | Transmission Films |
theme | biographical northern war |