Passabe

The remote village of Passabe lies on the precarious border between East and West Timor. It is a battle-scarred community with a horrific past. In the run-up to the vote for independence in 1999, Passabe was a base for hundreds of pro-Indonesia militiamen – East Timorese who participated in a rampage of violence that climaxed in a bloody massacre. As families continue to grieve, questions remain unanswered. Who took part in the killings? Who is to blame? Five years on, one man (Alexio Elu) decides to publicly own up to his role in the massacre. It’s an explosive move that not only exposes him to possible prosecution, but also persecution of his own people. Accusations fly, a pact of silence is broken and a community’s soul is laid bare. Shot over the course of a year, this film documents a quest for redemption and forgiveness. It is an intimate look into the lives of ordinary folk struggling to rebuild their lives after an armed conflict, and an exploration into the very universal themes of justice and reconciliation.