Balibo (2009) - full transcript

Juliana: Mozerella! Naza!
Come. Come.

Interviewer: This interview
will be known as Statement 483.

The subject is Juliana Da Costa,

born in Dili,
and current resident of Maubisse.

Tetum, Mambai, Portuguese
and English speaker.

Widow,
four dependent children.

Yes.

Thank you.

- Of course.

Yes.

Juliana,
- Yes.



Most of today we've been
assembling information...

With regards to the events
of December the 7th, 1975,

and I note here
that you were in Dili on that day.

Yes.

Juliana.

Juliana,

was there anyone in the crowd
that you can identify for us?

Yes.

A man.

Juliana: Now...

I understand.

White: Okay, here we are.

Morning.

Mcguire came by.



He wants you to meet him
at the Darwin hotel for lunch.

- Alright.
- And there's a man here to meet you.

He's been waiting since
before we opened.

- Who, that bloke?
- Ah, yes.

- who is he?
- José Ramos-Horta.

I think that's what he said.

Would you get me a glass of water
and some Aspro?

Tell him I'm busy.

Hmm...

Look at them.

two pieces of shit
in matching shirts.

this is not the only thing
they have in common.

Those look very tasty.

I will steal two.
I will steal two of these.

I take one. I take one.

Okay, one.

Like my secretary told you,

I'm busy.

No, obviously I see you're very,
very busy.

But I...

I have come a long way
to find you, Roger East.

Disappointed?

My name is José Ramos-Horta.

I am the East Timor
Fretilin government's...

Secretary of Foreign Affairs.

I have a proposition for you.

Here.

You look like you could use
a real feed.

East: Come on then.

Horta: So this is where
you plan to write your memoirs?

East: Yeah,
if I could remember any of them.

You know, Roger,
I have read much of your work.

- Is that right?
- Horta: Mm-hmm, yeah, yeah, yeah.

I particularly enjoyed your ah,

condemnations of Kissinger
and his kind.

mm-hmm.

Your coverage of the
U.S. civil rights movement

was not too bad.
Very good.

Horta: From Johannesburg
you wrote about...

Rugby and cricket.

Horta: And apartheid.

You are well read.

East: I was in the Navy
up until 1944.

Then they, um,

discharged me.

Horta: Uh-oh.

East: You know what for?
- What?

- Psychotic tendencies.
- Horta: What?

Horta:
You're going to kill me in my sleep.

No, you're safe.

Roger...

please allow me to...
To speak to you openly.

Alright.

Fire away.

These...

things you are writing now,
the work you do is bullshit.

You... you wrote with passion, huh?

With fire,

about important things
that matter to the world.

I am offering you,

on behalf of my government,

a position as the head
of our news agency.

The boss.

Full access to...
to my country,

to my people, to tell our story.

Run by the government.
- No. No, no, no.

Etna, the East Timor News Agency,
is completely independent.

There is no such thing, my friend.

No.

No, perhaps not,
but that is where you come in.

I don't come in anywhere.

Aye, Roger.

Roger, Roger, Roger.

My country...

has very, very little time.

Please, please
consider this simple proposition,

if only for tonight.

While Indonesia
denies any plans...

to claim this nation as its own,

the Fretilin government in Dili
believes otherwise.

- from this 300 year old...
- Horta: No!

- Portuguese fort...
- No, Fernando, no!

...with nearby seas
rich with oil and gas...

the question is
how long will it be before...

Horta: Okay, Roger.
Okay, I have to go.

This is Tony Maniaty
for ABC Television.

Thank you for your good company
and a place to spend the night.

Hey. Hey, hey. Wait a minute,
wait a minute. Hang on.

What's going on?
What's happening?

Look, there is only a
small window...

Before your country closes
down flights to our nation.

In a few days, perhaps a few hours.

tell the world.

I've retired from that shit.

Hang on.

East: You need somebody younger.

Your country already
sent young journalists.

Five of them.

what are you talking about?

what five journalists?

what journalists?

These young journalists.

Not that your government gives a shit
now that they are missing.

Take it.

Aye, yay ye!

Bye, Roger.

Bye.

[knocking at door]

Roger East.

I heard you just got back from Timor.

Can I come in?

Well I'm glad to see the ABC

is taking good care of you
since your return.

Thanks.

East: So how was it over there?

You know, Mr. Maniaty,

Sometimes it helps
just to talk it out.

Look, the reason I came to talk
to you is because that ah,

young chap, Horta,

has offered me a job running the
East Timor Free Press.

Are you insane?

I wanted to get
some information from you.

You don't want to be going in now.
The Indonesians are going to invade...

So there are Indonesians
warships off the coast?

Yes.

And the Indonesians
are on the ground.

they're not in uniforms,
so you don't know who to trust.

there was shelling every day.

we were just sitting in Dili
waiting for the invasion,

and we didn't know
when it was going to come. And....

- Why... why would you want to go, alright?
- For the same reason you were there.

Did you see any of the
journalists from channel 9...

or channel 7 on your way out?

I saw Shackleton.

Right.

I told them it was too dangerous.

I warned them.

And what'd they say?

Hello?

Rennie: Brian?

Mal, Rennie here.

Oh, hello Mal.

Rennie: We're off to East Timor.

Seven's beat us to it.
Packer's furious.

Get your shit together.
We leave tomorrow.

Okay, mate.

- Rennie: You're still in bed?
- Ah, yes I am, Malcolm.

Rennie: See you tomorrow.

Whitlam: I will say no more
on the subject of Timor.

I'll leave it at that.

Reporter: But prime minister, what is
Australia's position on East Timor?

Whitlam: I will not elaborate
on the statement I made.

Cunningham: Yeah, hi Dad.
It's Gary.

Yeah, yeah, yeah,
I'm good. I'm good.

Look, I'm going to be
heading overseas.

Oh, not long.
Probably about a week, two.

Oh, I don't know, dad.

Look, I'll write, okay?

Yeah.

There are these five young
journalists that have gone missing.

- Hello, little man. Hello.
- Hello, daddy.

East: The Australian government
is doing bugger all, as usual.

Come inside, my man.

They just say they're dead.

Shackleton:
Draw me a little picture.

Make me a little present.
A little going away present.

Shirley: So, um, Jim's got you
on the big jobs, then.

Yes, and tomorrow
we head off at 7 in the morning.

Shirley: That's good for you.

Shackleton:
Yeah, I think this is a good one.

East: I just want to go out there
and see for myself.

Yeah. Well, three cigarettes?

Peters:
No, I'm sitting this one out, mate.

Smart boy.

There she is.

Rennie: So how far ahead
is Shackleton do you think?

Peters: Oh, two days.
Haven't beat us yet mate!

Talk to you later.

Viva!

East: Hello?

Welcome to the Hotel Turismo.

Hello, Senhor East.

- How are you?
- Very good, thank you.

What kind of fish is that?

Oh, this is piece called Coco Fish.

From Laklo River, south of here.

They swim up river to breed, before
heading downstream, out to sea.

It's a very clever fish, you know?

Would you...

Would you like to join me
in a glass of wine?

No, no.

Please, sit. Sit down.

Thank you.

East: Is that your daughter?

Joao: Yes, that's Juliana.

she's been a great,
great help in the hotel.

Yes, I know.

I ah, understand that there were
some journalists here recently.

Yes. They were sitting
where you're sitting.

only three weeks ago.

- Where were they going?
- Ah, I think they go to Balibo.

Joao: This is Dili, where we are,

near the Indonesian border.

Ramos-Horta arranged it.

Horta?
- Yes.

Well, I think
we might get going, actually.

Shackleton: Tony. Tony!

No, no, no.
I appreciate your enthusiasm.

Tonight drink, eat.
Tomorrow we go.

Oh, maybe one more hour.

Senhor East? You enjoy your meal?

- East: Yes, it was excellent.
- That's good.

Juliana, can you bring the
glass and the bottle?

East: Wait a minute.

- That's for you.
- Thank you.

It's an Australian coin.

Ah!

Here, let me teach you.

East: Keep your thumb straight,

and just use your 'flumb...'

You just use your thumb
to flick it, alright?

Perfect!
Well done.

Juliana: Who's that?

East: That is the Queen of England.

What's she doing on it?

That's a very good question.

I think your friends
left some bag behind.

So, ah, so he knows
where we're going?

- No.
- Perfect.

Yes. He will take you up there.

- Alright. We'll see you soon.
- Okay. Okay.

Horta: Okay, have fun.

Shackleton: Hey! We're away!

Horta: Bye bye!

East: You didn't tell me that you took the
first group of journalists up to Bilabo.

I didn't?

No.

Oh.

Well yes, yes, I arranged for the
first group to travel to Balibo,

- East: Ah!
- Horta: But only if it was safe.

East: So who drove them?

A man named Ximines.

Anything else you've
forgotten to tell me?

No.

Obrigado. [Thank you.]

Look, Roger.

Look. Mango.

Our nation's most famous aphrodisiac.

Hmm?

- I think I'm a bit past that, mate.
- Are you?

- East: This Ximines chap.
- Mm?

Was he with the journalists
in Balibo?

He's in Maubara,
half a day's journey.

How do I get there?

Roger, please.
It's very dangerous.

There's very important work
to do in Dili.

How do I get there?

Okay.

We make a deal.

I will take you to Maubara, okay?

I will show you.

And then we go back to Dili
and you run our news agency.

Deal?

Okay, Maubara it is.

Rennie: Now it's quiet.

Very quiet.

Some say deceptively so.

But just 50 kilometres away,
on the border between Indonesia,

guerilla fighting continues.

Shackleton: Maubara.

Maubara. 2-1-2. Two.

- Cunningham: Great, Greg.
- Stewart: Keep going.

Shackleton: Maubara, 1-2, 1-2.
Alright.

Just watch the radio there.

Horta: They are returning
from the frontlines.

Long before a war officially begins,
there are frontlines to defend.

We stay here the night,

tomorrow we find Ximines.

Roger, this way.

Okay, come on, come on, let's go.

Cunningham: Okay, okay.
Camera's rolling. And...

There's martial music in
between his words.

Is his speech very warlike?

Does he talk a lot about fighting?

Yeah, he has talked long
time for fighting.

Only fighting.

And hoping that people
will listen to the radio.

And when Fretilin broadcasts,
what does Fretilin say?

The Fretilin say we are
not communists.

Great. Gary?

Cunningham:
Yeah, good-oh. Happy.

Stewart: Happy.

Okay, fantastic.
Thank you very much, everybody.

Obrigado. Obrigado.

Say thank you to these people?

What is this?

Indonesian propaganda.

East: What are they saying?

They say they know an Australian
journalist has arrived in Dili.

Horta: They look forward to slitting
his throat when they find him.

Okay goodnight, Roger.

Very funny.

Okay, what were they really saying?

Horta?

Roger!

Good morning.

What's going on, mate?

The Indonesians are advancing.
Everyone is retreating to Dili.

I found Ximines.

East: Let me talk to him.

Horta: I found him, huh?
Ten minutes.

- Ok.
- No, five minutes.

- Alright, alright.
- Five minutes,

because we have to go.
- as much as I can have.

Shackleton:
Are you right to go now?

- Ximines: Pronto.
- Shackleton: Alright, jump in.

East: You speak English?

Horta: Yes, he speaks English.
But I will translate for him.

I'm looking for five
Australian journalists.

East: Have you seen them?

- Yes, he knows.
- Where?

Horta: He was...
He was their driver.

He took the group up
from Dili to Balibo.

this was three weeks ago.

He took them to Balibo.
He waited and he waited.

They would not come.

They would not retreat.

Horta: Okay, we have to go.

Wait, wait, wait, wait.
No, no, no, no.

So it's possible, it's possible
that they're still alive, right?

Is it possible?

Maybe go to mountain.

Okay.

I want you to draw me a map.

- Roger...
- Understand?

The Indonesians are invading.

- We have to go.
- A map.

- Horta: Everyone is retreating.
- Please.

Draw me a map of Balibo.

Ximines: Here is Balibo.

The Fort Portuguese is here.

Indonesia attack from here.

But first, we walk to Maliana.

There is a school mission...

School mission?

School mission.

Horta: Baras, Baras...

- Horta: That's it. Okay.
- East: Okay.

- How do we get there?
- Horta: The mission school?

Yes.

It's impossible.

It's impossible, Roger.
All of the roads are blocked.

Well how long would
it take to walk there?

To walk?

12, 14 hours journey, walking.
For me.

And you're an old man.

And you're a young man,
so you set the pace.

Viva!
- Viva! - Viva!

Viva!

Just get a couple of shots of those
huts there and see what you get.

Just the huts?

Shackleton.

Tony Maniaty, ABC.

- I was hoping we'd run into you.
- How did you know we were here?

It's all over the Indonesian radio.
They're not happy we're here, mate.

Maniaty: Fretilin's preparing
to defend Balibo,

- but I don't like their chances.
- That's where we're headed.

We're off there.
We're going to Balibo.

The Indonesian warships
off the coast.

The choppers circling overhead,
mortar fire...

Well did you film it?

No, we didn't have a chance.

We had to get
of there in a hurry.

Look Shackleton, it's not worth it.

Believe me or don't believe me,
but it's just not safe there.

Well outside Balibo,

is there anywhere else we can
film the invasion from?

Let's go, boys.

Cunningham: Can you, ah...

Can you take this back
to Dili airport for us?

Thanks, mate.

Sure.

Shackleton: Here we go.
You got your bathers on, boys?

Welcome.

Greg Shackleton. Channel 7.
How are ya?

Padre Silva.

Cunningham: G'day, father.
Gary. Gary Cunningham.

- You're very welcome.
- Cunningham: Thanks for having us.

Hi, Tony Stewart.
- Silva. Welcome.

Good to meet ya.

Shackleton: So, ah,
what's happening here, father?

where are these people going?

Silva:
Refugees fleeing from the border.

Cunningham:
And you're staying here?

How could I ever leave this?

So I hear you've got a swimming pool.

Yeah, where's that?

Ah, well it's up the back.

This way? This way! This way!

Stewart: I'll just get the bags.

Peters: What happened to your finger?

Rennie: Nothing.

Sorry, fellas.

Peters: Cheers, mate.

Welcome to Timor.

Cheers, Mal.

Maniaty:
So, Channel 7 beat you to it.

Peters: Well not yet, mate.

Plenty of time to catch up.

Maniaty: Maybe you should
just stick around here for a while.

Peters: Well there's no point just
sitting around here

filming bloody Fretilin
walking around.

Where's Shackleton?

The border?

Rennie: That's where the story is.
That's where we're going.

No, but Shackleton's crazy.

He's just doing his job.

Yeah, and we can't let him
get out of there before we do.

Rennie: We do have a driver José
said he would take us there.

Maniaty: José?

Horta?

With some of the soldiers,
so we should be...

Thank you for your concern, Tony.

Maniaty: Has he said
that he'll protect you?

Peters: Ah, in a sense.

I... yeah.

Rennie: In and out.

Malcolm, in and out. Malcolm.

Do you hear that?

Huh?

- East: A helicopter?
- Horta: Yes.

Is that one of yours?

Are you fucking kidding me?

Ah!

Shackleton: Here we are, boys.

Ximines: Yeah, this Balibo.

No, stay in the car.
Just stay in the car.

Australian.

Hello.

Sabika.

Shackleton:
Greg Shackleton, Channel 7.

Stewart: Greg, can we get out?

Shackleton ah, do you mind
if my men get out of the car?

Yeah, please.

From Australia?
- Yes.

- How are you?
- I'm very well.

- G'day.
- Welcome.

How're you going, mate?
Tony Stewart.

We spoke to José Horta.

Yes. I did get the message,
but the situation here is very tense.

Shackleton: Okay,
well I think that suits us.

Cunningham: Do you mind if we ah...
Our camera equipment?

Camera equipment.

Yeah, of course.

I can send some of
my soldiers to help you.

Ximines: Mister.

Cigarette.

Yeah. Oh, you want one?

- Yeah, thank you.
- Yeah, go ahead.

A 60 man Fretilin garrison is here
and there are rumours...

There are rumours
that Indonesian soldiers

are making their way
up the road from Batugade.

Cunningham: Ready to go.

Alright, three, two...

The buildings here are deserted,
and strewn with rubbish,

yet the spectacular
flowers and flame trees remain.

Shackleton:
The 60 man Fretilin garrison is here,

and there are rumours
that Indonesian soldiers

are making their way
up the road from Batugade.

We spoke to one soldier today,

who believes that a potion
given to him by his family--

Go! Go! Go!

You alright?
Are you shot?

No, I'm alright.
It's my ankle.

You're very graceful.

you're okay.

oh my God.

Oh, that was fucking crazy.

- Okay.
- I want to go.

I want to go.

- Now you want to go back, huh?
- Yeah.

Yeah, you see how dangerous it is.
I told you.

You didn't believe me.

Okay.

We're going to walk.

There should be a village about
half a kilometre.

We walk there, they have a vehicle.

- We get in the vehicle...
- East: No, no.

No, no, we go back to the Dili
and we start a news agency.

No, when I said I wanted to go,
I mean I want to go home.

East: I want to go to Australia.

I can't do this, mate.

I told you you need
somebody younger.

You're alright. You're okay.
We'll go back to Dili.

We go back to Dili.
- No.

- we made a deal.
- I'm sorry...

Horta: I showed you this.

I told you that I would
bring you here...

And that you would
run the agency.

- I can't do it.
- I brought you here.

I can't do it.

Okay.

Huh?

And your journalists?

Somebody else
will find out about them.

What about my country?
What about what is happening, huh?

- what about my country?
- That's your problem.

That's your problem.

Okay, my problem.
My problem.

Okay, my problem.

Horta: Well,
did you happen to notice...

that the helicopter that
tried to kill us was American?

East: No, I was too busy
trying not to get shot.

Horta: Ah, well it was.

Supplied by the American government.

And how did the Indonesians pay
for such a marvellous machine of war?

Pounds, Roger.
British money.

And how did this
very expensive American helicopter

find us in the middle of nowhere?
Hmm?

Intelligence provided
by your Australian government.

They know you are here, Roger,

because your country
told them you are here.

Just like they told them
about the journalists.

Don't you think this would be at
the highest levels of security, hmm?

In a war one hour away that your
government has signed off on?

And Australians are in danger, hmm?

Right, everyone okay? Tony?

We stay here tonight.

It's safe.

Sabika: Safe enough.

It's a famous legend.

The birth of our country.

We want to ask,

why the Indonesians
invaded our country?

Why the Portuguese doesn't help us?

Shackleton: Well, ah...

we are three journalists here.

We are going to find out why
and try and help to find out.

We'll try very hard to find out
some answers for you

Something happened here last night
which moved us very deeply.

Something so far removed
from our experience as Australians,

and yet so inextricably
interwoven within

the atmosphere of this place,

that we'll find it very difficult
to convey to you.

Sitting on woven mats,

under a thatched roof;
in a hut with no walls,

we were the target

of a barrage of questioning from men
who know they may die tomorrow,

and cannot understand why
the rest of the world does not care.

Why, they ask,

are the Indonesians invading us?

Why, they ask,

if the Indonesians believe that
Fretilin is Communist,

do they not send
a delegation to Dili to find out?

Why, they ask,

are the Australians
not helping us?

When the Japanese invaded,
they did help us.

Who, they ask,

will pay for the
terrible damage to our homes?

My main answer was that Australia
would not send forces here.

That's impossible.

However, I said we could ask

that this fighting is raised
at the United Nations.

That was possible.

At that, the second-in-command
rose to his feet and exclaimed:

“Comrade Journalist!”

He shook my hand,
the rest shook my hand,

and we were applauded,
because we are Australians.

That's all they want,

for the United Nations to
care about what is happening here.

The emotion here last
night was so strong,

that we, all three of us,

felt we should be able to reach out
into the warm night air and touch it.

Greg Shackleton,
from an unnamed village,

which we will remember forever,

in Portuguese Timor.

Shackleton: You alright?

Yeah, mate.

Horta: Oh God!

No!

Horta: Oh God!

Savages.

Savages!

Savages.

Horta: Roger.

Horta: Yeah, mm, it's like magic,

Malcolm. Feet hurting?

- Peters: The big one? No, no. No.
- We get you some army boots.

No problem.

Brian. Brian!

Horta: We have company.
Here they come.

- Rennie: José?
- Horta: Hmm?

- Rennie: Fretilin?
- Horta: Yeah.

Shackleton: Heads up, boys.

It's okay. It's okay, Brian.
It's Greg Shackleton at 7.

Shackleton: Channel 9 are here.

Cunningham: Oh, fuck!

Shackleton: Fucking hell.

Cunningham:
I'm not getting out, Greg.

Horta: You are colleagues, huh?

Channel 7...
Channel 9.

You are friends, no?

Yeah.

Malcolm? How are ya?

Didn't think anyone was watching
Channel 9 news anymore.

I thought you guys
weren't going to turn up.

Tony Stewart.
- Friends.

Huh? Little competition?

You should have seen
the firefight here last night, mate.

All over the place.

We haven't seen anything.
We just got a bottle of wine for you.

Come, come, we have a drink.

Thought you guys
might want a drink of wine.

Now we can be friends.

Good shooting?

So your driver was Ximines?

Ximines, yeah.

- And Sabika?
- I wouldn't ask about the guys with him.

Shackleton: This is where they live.

This is their home,
so they're going to stay here.

Ximines: Yes.

Cunningham: Have you got a hold?

Alright, whip right. Whip right.

No, no, right, right, right.

focus.
- Stewart: Yeah.

Ha, you went left.

Cunningham:
Tell him about the ulcer, Tony.

- How old are you?
- 21. I had an ulcer.

Mum said it was
because all I ate was...

Brothers.

We are going for patrol if you
want to come with us, get some film.

Right now.

Cunningham: Can we film something?

Sabika: Of course, of course.
You can film.

Shackleton: Well, what we,
what we can gather so far

is that, um, Horta believes that,
ah, that it's, actually Indonesians,

and there's warships
sighted off the coast.

Um, the Fretilin leaders believe that the,
ah, Indonesians are going to invade.

And that's why I think
it's ah, pivotal...

for us to actually
be here and get that.

I mean it's a violation.
It's a direct violation.

If we can get the footage, then...

Horta: They're gone.

They're gone, Roger.

Let's go.

Let's go back.

No.

It's time to tell the story
of the living, Roger.

No.

I want to go to Balibo.

There is nothing in Balibo.

They died. They are dead.

The Indonesian army killed them.

Let me tell you something.

There's plenty in Balibo.

I want to find out what
happened to them,

why it happened to them,

and who did it to 'em.

I want justice for those
five young men.

Justice?

You're pathetic.

You walk through an entire
village of people,

an entire village littered
with corpses,

and all you care about is these five
white journalists that died, huh?

You think I don't care
about those people?

- No, I don't. I don't think you do.
- East: I care about those people...

But the people that I am writing for...

They don't give a fuck about
400,000 brown people, mate.

That'll hit the back page
of the fuckin' newspapers.

But if I find out what happened...

To those five white
Australian journalists,

- it's gonna be on the front page.
- Right.

And justice will be served to you...

- Justice? Is that a fucking joke?
- And your fuckin' country.

You're going to stand there
and say the word “justice” to me?

Huh? Well you know what?

You may not care
and your readers may not care.

But you know who did care?
Those five men that died, Roger.

They cared.

They cared when no one else did.
Okay?

They had the courage
to come and to die,

trying to show the world
what was happening.

- They had courage? They had courage?
- Yeah, they had courage.

You are a fucking
coward that cares...

Only for yourself
and your fucking career.

All you're doing is
standing here scared shitless...

Because you're a pathetic old fucking
fool that cares only for fucking--

You little fucking...

You fucking little shit!

I will fucking kill you.

I will kill you!

Fucking little shit!

Come here!

Come here!

It's over.

It's over, Roger.

The Indonesians will come,

and they will take this land.

And no one will know
we even existed.

If you go to Balibo,

you will die.

Oh, you big prick.

Nice pants, Peters.

The Indonesian troops,
the Fretilin leaders here,

believe there will be
an invasion at any time.

As you can see, there are
Indonesian ships only just off shore.

Shackleton: Balibo, Monday afternoon,

and we're back here not much more
than 24 hours after when we left.

the counter-attack,
despite some tense moments...

And some false alarms,

was about as eventful as
a Sunday afternoon drive.

When do you think they will invade?

I mean, two weeks?

Look at that shirt.

Wait!

- Horta: Okay.
- It's not much, but it's something.

I'll guard it with my life.

I love you Malcolm.

Adios!

Adios!

Hmm,
I think I spelt it wrong.

Hang on, what have I done?

Cunningham: No, you're right.

- Oh yeah.
- Cunningham: I-A.

Alright,
just get a clean shot of that.

Cunningham: Don't know about
the Southern cross though, mate.

Thank you.

It's our own
Balibo Australian embassy.

Hang on, mate. I'm a kiwi.

Don't count.

Shackleton: Alright, well we'll
call it the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Cunningham:
Yeah, I like that. That's nice.

Roger East.

Ramos-Horta said
you'd be here.

We have a witness for you.

Get me some bandages and water.

He's one of your own.
He's East Timor, for fuck"s sake!

He helped the
Indonesians take Balibo.

He's a traitor.

I don't care.
Just get the bandages and water.

What's... what's he saying?

- What's he saying?
- He keeps mentioning a fire.

What fire?

What fire?

Where?

He say they dragged some bodies
to the Chinese house.

Which Chinese house?

In Balibo.

Has he seen the journalists?

Is he talking about
the journalists?

That's enough. That's enough.

That's enough.
Just let him rest.

Here, here, here.

Can we get to Balibo?

I want to go to the house
that he was talking about.

Is it possible?

Anything is possible.

By day, they occupy my lands.

At night, they are cowards.

We would only just make it by dawn.

Chances are, we would be caught.

But let me know, old man,

if you decide...

you have the balls for it.

Cunningham: What is it?

It's “Foho Ramelau”.

They sing it going into battle.

It's a war cry.

It sounds more like a love song.

Viva Timor-Leste!

Viva!

Viva [in Tetum dialect]!

Viva!

Viva Fretilin!

Viva!

Sabika: At the time,

the Indonesian troops concentrate
in the border.

And then they attacked Balibo
in the morning.

Sabika: At the time, there were
five journalists in this house.

Sabika: Because there were
no stronghold of Fretilin fighters...

and they camped at Balibo.

We're not going to have
enough light

for an exposure
for another 40 minutes.

Sabika: They are coming.

Let's go.

Come on, come on.
Come on.

Rennie: Boys are back?

They're on their way.
They're coming up the hill.

Peters: How long will we have?
- Ah about half an hour.

Cunningham:
There's not enough light.

Peters: Your reading?

Cunningham: Oh, one and a half stops,
under, not even.

Rennie: I think we should hide
our exposed footage here.

- Greg?
- Shackleton: That's a good idea.

Stewart: Yeah, I've got some.

Cunningham: Yeah, I'm good, mate.
I'm good now.

Shackleton: Okay, good.
Ah, Gary, how are we looking?

Cunningham: Just one sec, mate.

Not just yet, I don't think.

Come on, let's just go.
Let's just go, let's just go.

Let's go. Come on, quick.

come on, get out of here!
We leave now!

No, no, no.
We need 10 minutes or so.

We leave now. Get in the car!

Not yet.

Hey! Hey!

Rennie: Go, go, go.

Run it, run it, run it.

What's going on?

Fretilin soldiers: Go, go, go!

- How are we looking?
- We got it.

Get down, get down.

Rennie: There.

Greg, it's just over there.

It's no proof. It's no proof, Greg.

It's no proof.

- shoot... film there.
- I got it.

Cunningham: Shit!

Shackleton: Oh shit.

Gary, there at the tree!
On the left boys, there! There!

they're getting changed!

there Gary, get it!

They're getting changed near the tree.

- there, there, there, there!
- Cunningham: Okay, I've got it.

Shackleton: Gary, they're
getting fuckin' changed!

I've got it, mate. I've got it.

Have you fuckin' got it?

- Rennie: Let's go!
- Have you got it, Gary?

- Rennie: Let's go!
- Have you got it?

We're journalists! Ah...!

Come on!

Rennie: Get inside!

Come on! Come on!

Inside!

Come on!

Hurry! Hurry!

Get in there and save yourself!

Rennie: Come on!

Shut the door, mate.

Get in, Gary!

Breathe, breathe.

Just shhh.

Shhh, shhh.

Oh, fuck... they're out there!

Shhh, quiet! Quiet!

Cunningham: They're outside.
Be quiet.

Shhh.

Oh, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!

Shhh! Shut up! Just shhh.

Shhh.

It's okay.

Cunningham: What are you doing?

Someone has to talk to them, right?

Now stay right down.

Someone has to talk to them.

Shhh.

Journalist.

Australian.

Australians. Australian press.

Tony! You have to take the film.

You have to take the film and run.

Tony! Take the film and run!
Fuckin' run!

Shackleton: We are journalists!

We are journalists!

Journalist.

Journalist, huh?

We rest here for 20 minutes.

20 minutes.

Quiet!

I will lead them away.

The river heads north,

Heading at all times
away from the front line.

Wait, wait, wait.

- Get going now.
- Wait, wait!

- Senhor East, glass of wine?
- Yes, thank you.

Celebrate?

Good you came back.

Yes.

So better drink the best.

Otherwise other people
come and they drink it,

and I don't know,

tomorrow, maybe they come over.

They take over.

What are you going to do?

Senhor East, what can I do?

You could go into the mountains.
In the hills, you could hide.

I work in a hotel.

People need hotel to stay in.

Yes, but what about your daughter?

Oh, Juliana,
I send to her grandmother.

Maybe tomorrow,
they go in the hills to hide.

Good.

Not hungry?

No.

How are you, Roger?

Fine.

It's good to see you.

I came to tell you that, eh...

something remarkable
has happened.

What's that?

My people have heard
of your quest

to discover the fate
of your comrades.

They want the truth to be known.

Witnesses have come forward.

I have brought three of them
to speak with you, to...

help you tell your story.

Thank you.

Roger, the invasion of Dili
is imminent.

Our intelligence is accurate.

Kissinger and President Ford flew out
of Jakarta this morning.

- Horta: Antonio.
- Nice to meet you.

- Horta: Jordao.
- Nice to meet you.

- Horta: Manuel.
- And you.

Roger, my colleagues,
my government...

has... chosen me to be a
voice outside of Timor.

East: What does that mean?

I am leaving in an hour,

and you should come with me.

I know, I know.
I know what you are thinking.

I know.
You think I am a coward,

that I am abandoning
my people.

But I am not.

I am laying down
my life today because...

from now until the day I die,

I will not stop until
there is justice for Timor.

Do you honestly think
that you can save this country?

Yes, absolutely.

Yes.

Roger, it's time to go.

I have a seat for you on the flight.
First, get your interviews.

I will hold the plane until
you are done.

I can't do it, mate.

If I leave,
there'll be no journalists left.

Then who's going to
tell your story?

It is not safe, Roger.

Good luck.

East: Juliana.

Ah, you've been practicing.
Good.

Thank you.

What's that for?
Juliana: It's a thank you.

Thank you, sweetie.

Juliana: Bye.

East: Three militiamen,
two of them teenagers,

came to me in Dili to talk
about how they had witnessed...

five Australian newsmen dying.

Their testimony was shattering
in its simplicity...

and its directness.

The five were to die at sunrise,

only yards from a building

which they believed to be a sanctuary
when the battle was over.

They had dubbed it
'The Australian embassy,'

painted 'Australia'
on its walls

along with the likeness
of an Australian flag.

It afforded them no protection.

They were executed
within minutes of being captured.

[church bells ringing]

[air raid sirens blaring]

East: Florentino.
Take this down right away, okay?

This is Roger East,
reporting from Dili, East Timor.

With absolutely no international
condemnation whatsoever,

including the Australian government,

the Indonesian army
has today invaded Dili.

At this very moment, they're trying
to break into the office,

roaming off of transporters.

I'm an Australian!
You mongrels. Let me go!

No!

No!

I'm an Australian!

I'm an Australian!

No!

No! Get off me!

Get off me!

Get off me!

Mongrels. Dogs.

No!

No!

No!

No!

No.

I'm Australian.

I..

I have 24 years of stories.

How long will that take
you to record?

Senhora...

Horta: Viva Falantil!

Viva! Viva!
Viva!