Page - 63 - in JRFM - Journal Religion Film Media, Volume 04/01

Intercultural Perspectives | 63www.jrfm.eu 2018, 4/1, 63–77 Freek L. Bakker Intercultural Perspectives on Das radikal Böse and The Act of Killing Similarities and Dissimilarities in Coping with Trauma in Indonesia and Germany, in Southeast Asia and Europe ABSTRACT This article offers a close reading of Das radikal Böse (The Radical Evil, Stefan Ru- zowitzky, DE/AT 2013) and The Act of Killing (Joshua Oppenheimer, GB/DK/NO 2012), films that provide access to the same topic by focusing on different facets of it. In referring to historical events distant from each other in terms of timing, geography and religious associations, these filmic works draw on very different situations and contexts. But even then, something universally human can be detected. The thinking of Zygmunt Bauman and Emmanuel Levinas assists the exploration of three scenes in which perpetrators seem to break down when they realise what they have done to women and children. KEYWORDS Shoah, Eastern Europe 1941–1943, Stefan Ruzowitzky, Indonesian genocide 1965/66, Joshua Oppenheimer, Zygmunt Bauman, Emmanuel Levinas, intercultural perspec- tives BIOGRAPHY Freek L. Bakker studied theology and Indology at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam. In 2003 he was appointed Assistant Professor of Religious Studies and Interreligious Dialogue at Utrecht University. He has written books and articles analysing Hinduism, religion and film and interreligious dialogue. This article offers a close reading of Das radikal Böse (The Radical Evil, Stefan Ruzowitzky, DE/AT 2013) and The Act of Killing (Joshua Oppenheimer, GB/DK/ NO 2012), two films that are very different but nevertheless provide access to the same topic by focusing on different facets. These filmic works arose from separate situations and contexts, from historic events distant from each other DOI: 10.25364/05.4:2018.1.5