
Christine Cynn
Directing
Biography
Christine Cynn has been directing documentary and experimental films for the past 14 years, her most well known works being The Act of Killing (2012) and Shooting Ourselves (2016).
Known For

In this chilling and groundbreaking documentary, former Indonesian death squad leaders reenact their real-life mass killings in the style of various film genres. As they recreate their past atrocities, the line between reality and performance blurs, exposing the lingering impact of Indonesia's 1965-66 anti-communist purge and the unsettling psychology of its perpetrators.
The Act of Killing

An Indonesian man with a communist background named Ramli was brutally murdered when the "Communist" purge occurred in 1965. His remaining family members lived in fear and silence until the making of this documentary. Adi, a brother of his, decided to revisit the horrific incident and visited the men who were responsible for the killings and one survivor of the purge. These meetings uncovered sadistic details of the murders and exposed raw emotions and reactions of the killers' family members about what happened in the past - much to Adi's disappointment.
The Look of Silence

A kaleidoscopic history of the American heartland, nuclear weapons and the Native American genocide.
The Entire History of the Louisiana Purchase

Filmed by Indonesian workers during their working hours on rubber and palm oil plantations, this film exposes the devastating role of militarism and repression in building the “global economy.” Through chilling first hand accounts, hilarious improvised interventions, collective debate, and archival footage, the film explores the relationships between trade, Third World debt, and international institutions like the IMF and World Bank.
The Globalisation Tapes

For eighty cents an hour, prisoners in a New Mexico prison answer telephones for the state tourism hotline. Co-directed by Christine Cynn.
Land of Enchantment
How does the arms trade impact real people? Shooting Ourselves examines the weapons industry through the personal stories of victims, soldiers, manufacturers and activists from around the world, as they participate in an immersive production by the award-winning Rimini Protokoll theater company.