I wanted to resist in 'The Look of Silence' making a film that ends with any kind of positive hope I feel in human rights documentaries dealing with human survivors. Joshua Oppenheimer dealdocumentaryend Change image and share on social
Native Americans' families experience living surrounded, living in increasingly small reservations surrounded by the society that destroyed their civilization, and are still stigmatized. For decades and decades, for hundreds of years except in Indian schools, they weren't allowed to speak their language. That stigma takes a terrible toll. Joshua Oppenheimer allowamericancivilization share on social
I think that indignation is pleasurable, and it's pleasurable because it's self-righteous. Joshua Oppenheimer indignationpleasurablerighteous Change image and share on social
You finish a film not in the editing, but in the conversations that audiences have with themselves - and in that sense, every viewer is making a slightly different film. And that's wonderful. Joshua Oppenheimer audienceconversationedit Change image and share on social
At our production company, the trademark dish - and this sounds particularly revolting - is curried pickled herring. Joshua Oppenheimer companycurrydish Change image and share on social
I think 'The Act of Killing' forced people to look at the problem, but the problem is actually a state run by thugs, or a shadow state, a part of the state that's run by thugs, and a military that enjoys complete legal - not just impunity, but immunity. Joshua Oppenheimer actcompleteenjoy share on social
People may assume 'The Act of Killing' is a historical documentary about what happened in 1965. But our purpose was to expose a present-day regime of fear for what it is. Joshua Oppenheimer actassumeday Change image and share on social
We are constantly - in order to cope with painful realities - shuffling through third-rate, half-remembered fantasies taken from movies, from TV, from people we admire. We do this individually, we do it collectively - we tell stories to escape our most painful truths. Joshua Oppenheimer admirecollectivelyconstantly share on social
I think it's our obligation as filmmakers, as people investigating the world, to create the reality that is most insightful to the issues at hand. Here are human beings, like us, boasting about atrocities that should be unimaginable. Joshua Oppenheimer atrocitybeingboast share on social
I don't think there's a morally perfect way to do anything in life, but I'm not a filmmaker who tries to hide my mess. Joshua Oppenheimer filmmakerhidelife Change image and share on social