Bali bomb movie to be released in Indonesia

Reporter: Geoff Thompson

TONY EASTLEY: Later this week a movie dramatising the events surrounding the 2002 Bali bombings is to be released in Indonesia.

The Indonesian production, entitled Long Road to Heaven, includes actors playing the parts of the three Bali bombers, Imam Samudra, Amrozi, and Mukhlas.

All of them are currently pursuing a last legal challenge to their death sentences.

Two Australian actors also star in the film as Indonesia Correspondent Geoff Thompson reports from Denpasar in Bali.

(excerpt from film in Indonesian)

GEOFF THOMPSON: This week the architects of the first Bali bombings will become stars of Indonesian cinema.

EXCERPT FROM MOVIE: People who do these terrible things, they cannot see beyond their own …

GEOFF THOMPSON: From the days of planning the attacks which killed 88 Australians through to the grisly aftermath, the actions and motivations and of the mastermind, Hambali, and three of the bombers now on death row, are dramatised.

Amrozi, Imam Samudra and Ali Gufron, or Mukhlas, are all played by actors in the new Indonesian film called The Long Road to Heaven.

NIA DINATA: The message is peace. Actually the message is peace.

GEOFF THOMPSON: Producer, Nia Dinata, denies that the film is exploiting the tragedy of the attacks.

NIA DINATA: As an Indonesian I really feel the sadness, you know, the tears, the questions. I can feel that question even in myself, you know, why? And also, I can feel their sadness. It's just natural for a filmmaker to have that kind of reaction. When they react to something, sometimes they make movie out of it, right?

(excerpt from film music)

EXCERPT FROM MOVIE: There is no shortcut to heaven.

GEOFF THOMPSON: The film challenges the jihadist concept of martyrdom by asking the question of whether there is a shortcut to heaven.

The terrorist characters in the film engage in a power struggle, arguing amongst themselves about the suitability of Bali as a target as well as how the attacks should proceed.

The character of Jemaah Islamiah's late master bomb maker, Dr Azahari Husin has a walk-on part, as does Indonesia's most wanted terrorist still at large, Noordin Mohammed Top.

But there is no appearance by, or any mention of, JI's one-time leader, Abu Bakar Bashir.

EXCERPT FROM MOVIE: She's my daughter I'll recognise it.

GEOFF THOMPSON: Against scenes of mayhem and charred bodies, the lives of the bombers are intercut with other characters' responses to the attacks.

They include a Balinese taxi driver and an American woman, played by the Australian actress Mirrah Foulkes, who travels to Bali seeking peace after losing a spouse to the September 11 attacks.

Australia's Raelee Hill portrays a journalist sent to cover the bombers' trial.

RAELEE HILL: I think it reads as a very gentle, very respectful, very bipartisan film. Australians are presented, represented as being both sinners and saints, which I think is correct, because we are. That's another thing that I really liked about the script. It wasn't a case of the Australians marching in to save the day, you know, all that.

GEOFF THOMPSON: If seen in Australia, the film will again focus attention on the attacks and their legacy, just as Amrozi, Samudra and Mukhlas await the outcome of a final appeal against their death sentences.

Rucina Ballinger lives in Bali running the Mother Earth Humanitarian Foundation, which led efforts in support of bombing survivors. She believes The Long Road to Heaven is an important film.

RUCINA BALLINGER: It's a cliché to say that we are all one, but that's a very important concept that we have to look at. Instead of trying everybody going their own individual ways, let's try and understand each other's religions.

GEOFF THOMPSON: The film opens on Thursday.

In Denpasar this is Geoff Thompson for AM.

I was in two scenes as a "bule" extra in this film. Also "Professor" Nick of Jl. Jaksa fame (pics in the Absolute Bar thread) was in almost every scene that required bule fodder.

Sad riccardo.

it was indeed, but free beer.

I actually had to do it as a favor to someone just for 1 day.
And from what I observed and heard others say, it's a total propaganda whitewash. So many things were fabricated to place the blame everywhere but on the terrorists or islam. Those two Aussie actresses had seen it all at work and were not real happy about it. They changed the script all the time to twist things around. (I assume they would n't have taken the parts had they read what the final script was going to be) One particular scene is of a mid-aged Muslim couple being turned away from a supposedly private American hospital in Bali in the minutes after the blast, while all these drugged out, flip-flop wearing clubbers are being carried in MUSLIM "good samaritans" and escorted in by Balinese nurses. The Aussie actress goes into her lines as she's talking to the mid-aged couple (all very natural and apologetic), and then the director totally made her change her lines, which made her sound real stupid and bigoted. She was livid.

I still am trying to find out who funded it.

Kuku, so that movie only showing in Indonesia? Not another country maybe Australia?

Wow, Riccardo! You're an actor!

NOT EVEN CLOSE JUST! I was merely a stand-in 'white face' playing a journalist in a court room scene with that red-headed actress Railee Hall. All of their stand-in bule extras were young backpackers and english teachers, they needed a more "distinguished" (read: older) looking extra for that scene, so some acquaintance that I owed a favor to begged me to do it for just one day. That was it and I'll never do it again.

too good if Indonesian movie can be go international

but "Long Road To Heaven" is a good movie..

At least you got a free holiday in Bali, right? Hehehe... you might wanna do it again! Will I be seeing your face on screen or will it be censorred by Badan Sensor Nasional?

LOL JJG!

No Bali, probably get censored. In the court scene I am seen speaking with/exchanging notes with the Red-headed actress (Hall), who is also playing a journo... It may get censored because they told everyone in the "audience" to cheer and clap when the death penalty verdict was handed down to the bombers....