ALIAS RUBY BLADE DOCUMENTARY INFORMATION BOOKLET - Running Time: 78 minutes
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ALIAS
RUBY
BLADE
Running
Time:
78
minutes
DOCUMENTARY
INFORMATION
BOOKLET
Kirsty
is
greeted
with
a
traditional
woven
tais
in
Maliana,
Timor-‐Leste
in
a
scene
from
Alias
Ruby
Blade
“It
was
the
courage
of
the
Timorese
that
inspired
me
to
have
courage.
That
is
what
has
driven
me
throughout
my
journey
and
that
is
what
continues
to
inspire
me
today.”
– Kirsty
Sword
Gusmão
SunJive
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Pty
Ltd
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info@sunjive.com
2
CONTENTS
SECTION
1:
FILM
INFORMATION
SYNOPSIS
4
STYLE
&
APPROACH
7
FILMMAKERS
STATEMENT
8
SECTION
2:
SUBJECT
BIOGRAPHY
KIRSTY
SWORD
GUSMÃO
10
SECTION
3:
PERSONNEL
BIOGRAPHIES
DIRECTOR:
ALEX
MEILLIER
12
PRODUCER:
TANYA
AGER
MEILLIER
13
COMPOSER:
PAUL
BRILL
14
CINEMATOGRAPHER:
SHANE
SIGLER
14
SECTION
4:
CAST
BIOGRAPHIES
XANANA
GUSMÃO
15
JOSÈ
RAMOS-‐HORTA
16
CONSTANCIO
PINTO
16
NALDO
REI
16
GEOFFREY
ROBINSON
17
PAT
WALSH
17
SECTION
5:
CREDITS
18
SECTION 1: FILM INFORMATION
SYNOPSIS
ALIAS
RUBY
BLADE:
a
story
of
love
and
revolution
One
courageous
woman’s
journey
from
undercover
agent
to
First
Lady
and
the
untold
story
of
the
birth
of
a
new
nation.
THE
STORY
Alias
Ruby
Blade
takes
a
never
before
seen
approach
to
the
story
of
the
Independence
of
Timor-‐Leste
by
peering
through
the
lens
of
the
experiences
of
Kirsty
Sword
Gusmão
-‐
a
distinguished
human
rights
activist
and
former
First
Lady
of
Timor-‐Leste.
Once
an
aspiring
documentary
filmmaker,
Kirsty
instead
became
a
revolutionary.
Kirsty a.k.a. Ruby Blade (video still)
Filming
her
journey,
not
knowing
what,
if
anything,
would
ever
become
of
the
footage,
Kirsty
recorded
key
events
in
her
life
which
have
become
watershed
moments
in
the
Independence
struggle
of
the
Timorese.
Given
unprecedented
access,
the
producers
of
Alias
Ruby
Blade
have
obtained
this
footage
along
with
intimate
interviews
with
the
key
players
in
the
resistance
struggle.
The
result
is
a
behind-‐the-‐scenes
look
in
to
one
of
the
most
dramatic
events
of
the
21st
Century:
the
birth
and
formation
of
a
new
nation
in
Timor-‐Leste
after
nearly
30
years
of
struggle.
In
1991
at
the
age
of
twenty-‐four,
Kirsty
joined
an
English
film
crew
that
traveled
to
East
Timor
disguised
as
tourists
with
amateur
video
equipment.
Their
goal
was
to
document
the
conditions
of
the
Indonesian
occupation
and
defy
the
media
blackout
that
had
gripped
the
territory
since
the
Indonesian
invasion
in
1975.
SunJive
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4
SECTION 1: FILM INFORMATION
SYNOPSIS
But
what
was
supposed
to
be
an
interesting
socio-‐political
documentary
portrait
turned
in
to
a
watershed
moment
in
the
independence
struggle
when
Indonesian
troops
opened
fire
on
the
crowd.
Hundreds
of
innocent
protesters
were
massacred
-‐
many
of
them
teenagers.
The
broadcast
of
the
resulting
documentary,
Cold
Blood:
the
Massacre
of
East
Timor1,
caused
loud
cries
of
condemnation
around
the
world
and
set
in
motion
events
that
would
radically
alter
the
destiny
of
the
Timorese.
For
Kirsty,
having
personally
known
many
of
the
victims,
there
was
no
turning
back.
Moving
to
Jakarta,
Kirsty
immersed
herself
in
the
shadowy
world
of
Indonesian
pro-‐democracy
activists
and
Timorese
dissidents.
She
was
recruited
by
the
exiled
foreign
minister
José
Ramos-‐Horta
(Nobel
Peace
Prize
laureate)
to
become
a
courier
and
adopted
the
nom
de
guerre
Ruby
Blade.
Her
task
was
to
shuttle
correspondence
in
and
out
of
the
notorious
Cipinang
Prison
in
Jakarta,
where
the
enigmatic
Timorese
resistance
leader,
Xanana
Gusmão,
was
serving
a
life
sentence
for
his
revolutionary
activities.
Kirsty
became
a
critical
link
-‐
enabling
Xanana
to
remain
in
control
of
the
resistance.
Starting
with
notes
smuggled
out
in
the
bottom
of
a
shoe
and
then
a
video
camera2,
a
laptop
computer,
and
finally
a
mobile
phone,
the
communication
between
Kirsty
and
Xanana
became
more
intimate.
Through
correspondence,
they
fell
in
love.
In
nearly
eight
years,
they
met
in
person
only
once.
When
the
Timorese
voted
overwhelmingly
for
Independence
in
a
historic
referendum
for
Independence,
pro-‐Indonesian
militias
ran
amok
throughout
the
entire
territory
burning,
looting
and
raping
until
over
half
of
the
population
became
internally
displaced
persons.
When
Kirsty
and
Xanana
finally
were
able
to
return
to
East
Timor,
they
found
a
country
reduced
to
ashes.
Kirsty
herself
filmed
the
throngs
of
civilians,
thousands
strong,
cheering
the
triumphant
return
of
their
beloved
leader
and
yearning
for
a
new
beginning.
1 The filmmakers have obtained the rushes from Cold Blood containing never before seen footage of
Kirsty and the crew during the making the film.
2 The filmmakers have obtained footage of Xanana in prison and the intimate “video letters” between
Xanana and Kirsty.
SunJive
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5
SECTION 1: FILM INFORMATION
SYNOPSIS
Alias
Ruby
Blade
captures
this
incredible
story
from
Kirsty’s
humble
beginnings
in
Australia
through
the
ultimate
triumph
of
the
Timorese,
culminating
with
the
swearing
in
of
Xanana
Gusmão
as
the
nation’s
first
president.
The
birth
of
their
first
son,
Alexandre,
in
a
free
and
independent
East
Timor
became
a
symbol
of
the
birth
of
the
nation.
Today,
Kirsty
remains
a
tireless
advocate
of
the
Timorese.
In
addition
to
travelling
abroad
as
Ambassador
of
Education,
the
head
of
her
UNESCO
chapter
and
to
raise
funds
for
The
Alola
Foundation,
which
she
founded
to
improve
the
health
and
welfare
of
women
and
children
in
Timor-‐Leste,
Kirsty
is
the
mother
of
three
small
boys
with
Xanana
(now
Prime
Minister).
A
powerful
testament
to
the
human
capacity
for
hope
to
overcome
fear,
Alias
Ruby
Blade
demonstrates
that
ordinary
individuals,
armed
with
little
more
than
moral
courage,
can
solve
seemingly
intractable
violent
conflicts.
They
have,
in
fact,
the
power
to
change
the
course
of
history.
SunJive
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Pty
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info@sunjive.com
6
SECTION 1: FILM INFORMATION
STYLE & APPROACH
STYLE
&
APPROACH
Utilizing
a
flashback
structure,
Alias
Ruby
Blade
weaves
together
a
complex
tapestry
of
visual
textures
composed
of
never-‐before-‐seen
archival
material,
much
of
it
from
Kirsty
and
Xanana
Gusmão’s
personal
archive,
HD
production
footage,
and
dreamlike
sequences
shot
on
color
reversal
16mm
film.
Often
selecting
the
rawest
and
most
unrefined
footage,
fueled
by
an
original
rock’n’roll
soundtrack,
the
effect
is
to
immerse
the
viewer
in
the
action
of
the
film.
Aspiring
to
become
a
filmmaker,
Kirsty
began
shooting
the
key
events
of
her
life
on
hi-‐8
video
from
her
first
visit
to
East
Timor
in
1990.
Her
archive
also
contains
tape
from
her
time
as
an
operative
in
Jakarta
all
the
way
up
to
her
return
with
Xanana
to
the
country
devastated
by
the
1999
violence.
At
one
point
she
even
managed
to
smuggle
a
camera
in
to
the
notorious
Jakarta
jail
where
Xanana
was
serving
life
in
prison.
The
producers
of
Alias
Ruby
Blade
have
obtained
this
footage,
often
painstakingly
restored,
to
utilize
this
intimate
perspective
to
great
effect.
In
addition
to
Kirsty’s
hi-‐8
footage
composing
the
flashback
sequences
and
HD
footage
of
the
present
day,
special
sequences
have
been
shot
on
16mm
color
reversal
film
stock
meant
to
portray
the
story
of
Kirsty’s
alter
ego
Ruby
Blade.
These
cinematic
sequences
are
woven
seamlessly
in
to
the
arc
in
the
story,
shot
from
angles
designed
never
to
reveal
Kirsty’s
face,
and
to
heighten
the
Director Alex Meillier (left) and Cinematographer
Shane Sigler set up a shot in Jakarta. suspense,
all
in
frenetic
close-‐ups.
We
see
glimpses
of
this
footage
starting
from
Kirsty’s
first
visit
to
East
Timor
in
1990
and
this
film-‐within-‐a-‐film
climaxes
when
Kirsty’s
identity
is
revealed
and
she
is
forced
to
flee
the
country
for
fear
of
the
Indonesian
Secret
Police
in
1996.
Kirsty
herself
is
the
primary
narrator
of
Alias
Ruby
Blade.
As
her
personal
story
evolves
throughout
the
film,
other
characters
are
introduced
in
meticulously
researched
archival
material
and
add
their
voices
to
the
story.
Amongst
a
host
of
the
key
actors
in
the
resistance
struggle
both
International
and
Timorese,
the
former
President
of
Timor-‐Leste,
Nobel
Laureate
José
Ramos-‐Horta
appears
in
a
surprisingly
candid
two-‐part
interview.
Through
their
collective
voices,
we
learn
how
the
struggle
for
independence
transformed
from
an
armed
struggle
into
an
international
movement
that
used
the
media,
diplomacy,
non-‐violent
action
and
the
language
of
human
rights
to
fight
for
Independence
-‐
a
lesson
that
is
more
relevant
than
ever
before
in
the
world
today.
SunJive
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Ltd
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7
SECTION 1: FILM INFORMATION
BACKGROUND
FILMMAKERS
STATEMENT
“We’ve
got
to
be
crazy,”
I
said
to
my
wife
Tanya
as
we
barreled
down
the
coast
road
in
a
clapped-‐out
taxi
from
the
Dili
airport
in
Timor-‐Leste.
Out
the
window
a
sea
of
signature
blue
UNHCR
tarpaulins
flapped
in
the
wind
covering
a
massive
refugee
camp.
This
was
2007.
The
year
before
the
world’s
youngest
democratic
Asian
nation
had
experienced
a
tremor
of
growing
Tanya Ager Meillier, Kirsty Sword Gusmão, Alex Meillier pains.
In
an
unsuccessful
coup
attempt,
members
of
the
police
force
turned
on
the
government
and
the
country
erupted
into
civil
war.
The
evidence
was
all
around
in
the
burnt
out
husks
of
buildings
and
the
internally
displaced
persons
huddled
in
the
camps.
It
had
been
nearly
two
years
since
we
had
been
stationed
in
Dili,
Timor-‐Leste,
working
for
the
UN
as
a
documentary
film
unit.
For
the
large
part,
we
had
enjoyed
our
time
in
Dili,
despite
the
security
situation.
At
it’s
best
it
is
a
quiet
city
protected
by
a
natural
harbor
nestled
at
the
bottom
of
majestic
jungle
clad
mountains.
The
Portuguese
colonial
legacy
lingers
in
the
architecture.
Children
walk
to
school;
fishermen
throw
their
nets
and
the
lively
commercial
district
hustles
and
bustles
like
any
Asian
capital.
But
Timor-‐Leste
had
a
horrific
past.
The
Indonesian
invasion
in
1975
decimated
one
fifth
of
the
entire
population.
And
then,
after
the
historic
referendum
for
Independence
in
1999,
pro-‐Indonesian
militias
ran
amok,
burning,
looting
and
raping
until
the
entire
territory
was
reduced
to
rubble.
Everything
of
any
value:
computers,
refrigerators,
vehicles,
were
either
destroyed
or
transported
out
of
the
country.
Militias
poured
concrete
down
the
toilets.
The
destruction
was
systematic.
Yet
the
Timorese
endured,
because
in
the
end,
they
had
won
their
freedom,
and
they
had
won
it
by
adhering
to
non-‐violence,
despite
the
horrors
wrought
upon
them.
Everywhere
we
went
in
Timor,
people
were
desperate
to
tell
their
stories
to
our
cameras.
They
wanted
the
world
to
know
what
had
happened
to
their
families,
to
their
villages
-‐
because
as
human
beings
we
all
have
the
right
to
be
free
and
not
to
live
in
terror.
Over
this
period
of
several
months,
we
gained
intimate
knowledge
of
the
courageous
independence
struggle
of
the
Timorese
and
we
deeply
empathized
with
their
new
21st
century
struggle
to
eradicate
extreme
poverty.
We
thought
if
people,
particularly
in
the
United
States,
had
seen
what
we
had,
they
would
understand
better
what
had
happened.
They
would
want
to
do
more
to
ensure
the
unprecedented
peace
building
effort
in
Timor
succeed
and
become
a
model
for
what
can
be
achieved
elsewhere
in
the
world.
At
night,
under
the
flickering
lights
of
intermittent
power
and
over
pints
of
cold
Australian
lager,
we
began
to
talk
about
how
we
could
craft
a
character-‐driven
dramatic
film
that
could
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8
SECTION 1: FILM INFORMATION
BACKGROUND
encapsulate
the
story
of
the
triumph
of
the
Timorese.
Back
at
home
in
New
York
after
our
mission
ended
we
diligently
read
every
book,
every
memoir,
every
personal
account
of
the
struggle
we
could
find.
In
2007,
we
found
the
way
for
us
and
travelled
back
to
Dili.
The
purpose
of
our
visit
was
to
meet
for
the
first
time
with
the
former
First
Lady
of
Timor-‐
Leste,
Kirsty
Sword
Gusmão,
wife
of
the
former
President
and
Prime
Minister
of
Timor-‐
Leste,
the
enigmatic
resistance
leader,
Kay
Rala
“Xanana”
Gusmão.
Kirsty
is
many
things:
President
of
the
National
Education
Commission,
President
of
the
Timor-‐Leste
chapter
of
UNESCO,
President
of
the
Alola
Foundation,
which
she
founded
to
empower
women
through
health
and
livelihood
initiatives—but
to
the
Timorese
she
is
known
simply
as
“Mana
Kirsty”
or
“Mother
Kirsty.”
In
our
research
we
had
come
across
Kirsty’s
autobiography,
A
Woman
of
Independence
and
we
were
surprised
to
learn
of
the
pivotal
role
of
an
Australian
woman
in
the
resistance
struggle.
She
was
not
only
an
eye
witness
but
a
key
actor
in
historic
events
which
put
in
motion
the
ultimate
liberation
of
Timor-‐Leste
and
which
also
became
turning
points
in
her
own
life.
In
her
book
she
writes
of
her
early
aspiration
to
become
a
documentary
filmmaker.
In
passages
she
vividly
describes
filming
incredibly
dramatic
scenes
such
as
her
and
Xanana’s
return
to
East
Timor
after
the
devastating
1999
violence.
When
they
fell
in
love,
she
was
working
as
an
undercover
operative
for
the
Timorese
resistance
code-‐named
“Ruby
Blade”
and
he
was
serving
life
in
prison
in
a
Jakarta
jail.
Somehow,
she
even
smuggled
a
video
camera
in
to
the
prison.
In
our
email
to
her
requesting
a
meeting
the
first
question
was
“Do
you
have
the
tapes?”
She
said
they
were
packed
in
a
box
somewhere,
she
was
unsure
of
their
condition,
but
we
were
welcome
to
come
take
a
look.
If
you
are
a
filmmaker
reading
this
you
know
exactly
what
we
did
next.
When
we
met
with
Kirsty
in
her
office
in
Dili
at
the
headquarters
of
her
foundation,
she
quizzed
us
about
our
motivation
for
wanting
to
make
a
film
about
her
journey.
We
replied
that
her
story
would
be
an
inspiration
for
people
around
the
world,
particularly
women,
who
are
struggling
for
a
better
future
for
their
children.
Kirsty
told
us
she
felt
uncomfortable
when
people
refer
to
her
as
a
hero
because,
after
all,
wouldn’t
anybody
do
what
she
did
in
the
same
circumstances?
We
decided
right
there
that
would
be
the
central
question
of
our
film.
Five
years
later,
after
three
trips
around
the
world
from
Dili
back
to
New
York
City,
London
to
Bali,
Jakarta,
Bangkok,
Darwin
and
Melbourne
we’ve
sought
to
bring
the
ultimate
lesson
of
the
Timorese
to
the
world:
that
ordinary
people
have
the
power
to
resolve
seemingly
intractable
violent
conflicts.
They
have,
in
fact,
the
power
to
change
the
course
of
history.
-‐
Alex
Meillier
&
Tanya
Ager
Meillier
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9
SECTION 2: SUBJECT BIOGRAPHY
KIRSTY SWORD GUSMÃO
KIRSTY
SWORD
GUSMÃO
Former
First
Lady
of
Timor-‐Leste
(East
Timor),
Kirsty
Sword
Gusmão
is
President
of
the
Timor-‐Leste
National
Education
Commission,
President
of
the
UNESCO
chapter
of
Timor-‐Leste,
and
Founder
and
President
of
the
Alola
Foundation,
dedicated
to
improving
the
livelihoods
of
women
and
children
in
Timor-‐Leste.
Kirsty
was
born
in
Melbourne,
Australia,
in
1966.
She
grew
up
in
Melbourne
and
Bendigo
and
attended
Melbourne
University
where
she
completed
a
Bachelor
of
Arts
(Honours),
majoring
in
Indonesian
and
Italian,
and
a
Diploma
of
Education.
In
1991,
after
working
as
an
Administrative
Secretary
with
the
Overseas
Service
Bureau
(Australian
Volunteers
International),
she
joined
the
Refugee
Studies
Program
at
Oxford
University
as
Assistant
to
the
Development
Coordinator.
In
1991,
she
travelled
to
East
Timor
as
the
Researcher/Interpreter
the
groundbreaking
Yorkshire
Television
documentary
film
“Cold
Blood:
The
massacre
of
East
Timor”
which
exposed
the
reality
of
life
in
Dili
amongst
the
Timorese
resistance
and
captured
on
tape
the
massacre
of
November
12,
1991
–
an
event
which
would
radically
alter
the
destiny
of
the
Timorese
by
exposing
the
atrocity
of
the
Indonesian
occupation
of
East
Timor
the
world.
From
1992
to
1996,
she
lived
and
worked
as
a
teacher
and
human
rights
campaigner
in
Jakarta,
Indonesia.
It
was
during
these
years
that
her
work
for
the
East
Timorese
independence
cause
intensified
and
brought
her
into
contact
with
the
independence
leader,
Xanana
Gusmão,
who
was
serving
a
life
sentence
in
a
Jakarta
jail
and
whom
she
married
in
July,
2000.
Kirsty
was
appointed
by
the
President
and
Nobel
Peace
Prize
laureate
Dr.
José
Ramos-‐Horta
as
Goodwill
Ambassador
for
Education
in
October
2007.
This
appointment
was
in
recognition
of
Kirsty’s
tireless
efforts
to-‐date
and
to
formalize
future
endeavours
in
addressing
the
educational
priorities
of
Timor-‐Leste.
Her
husband,
Xanana
Gusmão
has
recently
been
re-‐elected
Prime
Minister.
They
have
three
sons,
Alexandre
(11
years),
Kay
Olok
(9
years)
and
Daniel
(6
years).
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10
SECTION 2: SUBJECT BIOGRAPHY
KIRSTY SWORD GUSMÃO
ABOUT
THE
ALOLA
FOUNDATION
Alola’s
Programs
have
expanded
rapidly
since
it’s
founding.
The
Education
Program
has
been
able
to
provide
scholarships
for
young
people
of
needy
families,
encouraging
their
continuance
of
schooling.
The
Friendships
Schools
Project
links
primary
and
secondary
schools
in
Australia
with
schools
in
East
Timor.
The
Maternal
and
Child
Health
program
works
to
help
contribute
to
a
reduction
in
the
maternal
and
child
mortality
rates
by
promoting
good
health
for
women
and
their
communities.
Throughout
the
crisis
the
MCH
team
has
been
very
active
giving
help
to
new
mothers
through
the
distribution
of
Maternity
Packs
and
through
breast
feeding
promotion
and
education
activities.
The
Women’s
Resource
Centre
staff
provide
resources,
information
and
referral
services
to
women
and
their
families,
particularly
in
the
areas
of
domestic
violence,
maternal
and
child
health
and
accessing
humanitarian
assistance.
The
Economic
Empowerment
program
has
been
fostering
the
handcrafts
industry
and
international
marketing
of
traditional
tais
(weaving)
and
tais
products.
Website:
alolafoundation.org
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11
SECTION 3: PERSONNEL BIOGRAPHY
DIRECTOR ALEX MEILLIER
Director
Alex
Meillier
Alex
Meillier's
diverse
range
of
crew
credits
and
experiences
make
him
uniquely
positioned
to
realise
the
potential
of
Alias
Ruby
Blade
which
is
his
feature
film
directorial
debut.
Along
with
his
wife
and
artistic
collaborator,
Tanya
Ager
Meillier,
Alex
was
Producer
and
Director
of
Photography
for
the
film
Obscene
which
premiered
at
the
2007
Toronto
International
Film
Festival.
As
a
film
editor
his
work
can
be
seen
in
Michael
Moore's
Capitalism:
A
Love
Story,
the
indie
doc
Beijing
Punk,
and
multitudes
of
commercial
projects.
Alex
has
directed
numerous
short
films
including
the
acclaimed
poetry-‐on-‐film
project
Whatever
I
Was
Thinking
Of,
a
collaboration
with
the
renowned
spoken
word
poet
Bob
Holman.
In
his
work
as
a
documentary
filmmaker
Alex
has
traveled
extensively
around
Southeast
Asia.
Working
for
the
United
Nations,
Alex
first
came
to
East
Timor
in
2005
to
shoot
and
report
stories
from
the
field.
Based
in
Banda
Aceh,
Indonesia
in
2006,
Alex
traveled
throughout
Sumatra
for
the
United
Nations
Development
Programme
chronicling
the
unprecedented
international
response
to
the
Boxing
Day
Tsunami
which
devastated
the
region.
Alex's
production
company
has
taken
on
a
diverse
range
of
projects
including
producing
dozens
of
short
films
from
around
the
world
for
The
Action
Center
to
End
World
Hunger,
an
interactive
exhibition
in
Lower
Manhattan
sponsored
by
Mercy
Corps
and
American
Express,
and
producing
and
directing
the
video
content
for
the
award
winning
website
JFK50,
dedicated
to
the
legacy
of
U.S.
President
John
F.
Kennedy
and
sponsored
by
the
JFK
Library
and
Foundation.
Alex
is
a
graduate
with
honors
of
New
York
University
Tisch
School
of
the
Arts.
Originally
from
Minneapolis,
Minnesota
he
now
resides
in
the
historic
Brooklyn,
New
York
neighborhood
of
Fort
Greene
where
he
enjoys
reading
Walt
Whitman
and
growing
tomatoes
on
the
terrace.
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12
SECTION 3: PERSONNEL BIOGRAPHY
PRODUCER TANYA AGER MEILLIER
Producer
Tanya
Ager
Meillier
Tanya
Ager
Meillier
was
born
in
Manchester
U.K.
of
mixed
Chinese
and
English
descent.
Often
in
tow
of
her
mum,
she
spent
much
of
her
childhood
traveling
the
world
and
developed
a
lifelong
passion
for
immersing
herself
in
foreign
cultures.
This
curiosity
about
the
world
grew
organically
into
a
career
as
a
documentary
filmmaker.
With
her
husband
Alex
Meillier,
Tanya
produced
and
edited
the
film
Obscene
which
premiered
at
the
2007
Toronto
International
Film
Festival
where
it
was
praised
for
its
vibrant
editorial
style
in
the
publication
“Variety”
and
elsewhere.
Also
as
an
editor,
her
work
can
be
seen
recently
on
the
Sundance
Channel
in
seasons
1
&
2
of
the
short
film
series
Beginnings
as
well
as
in
Michael
Moore's
latest
magnum
opus
Capitalism:
A
Love
Story.
In
addition
to
Obscene,
Tanya
produced
dozens
of
unique
short
films
for
the
Action
Center
to
End
World
Hunger
-‐
a
unique
interactive
exhibit
space
in
Lower
Manhattan
commissioned
by
Mercy
Corps
and
American
Express.
She
was
also
post-‐production
supervisor
for
the
films
Which
Way
Home
and
Beijing
Punk.
In
2005
Tanya
traveled
to
East
Timor
to
produce
and
edit
the
film
Kbiit
(Timorese
for
"Courage")
which
chronicled
the
evolution
of
the
UN
Mission
in
East
Timor
and
the
effort
to
build
a
democracy
from
the
rubble
that
remained
after
the
1999
violence.
This
experience
left
an
indelible
mark
on
Tanya
and
she
has
sought
ever
since
to
advance
the
cause
of
the
Timorese
to
the
forefront
of
public
discourse
and
to
aid
them
in
their
new
struggle
against
endemic
poverty.
She
currently
resides
with
her
husband
in
Brooklyn,
New
York.
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13
SECTION 3: PERSONNEL BIOGRAPHY
COMPOSER PAUL BRILL&CINEMATOGRAPHER SHANE SIGLER
Composer
Paul
Brill
Paul
Brill's
compositions
for
numerous
award-‐winning
films,
TV
series,
NPR
program
themes,
and
several
acclaimed
CDs
of
original
and
innovative
songwriting
show
that
youthful
adventures
as
an
herbal
smokes
salesman,
street
performer,
valet,
corporate
errand
boy,
and
a
marine
biology
instructor
can
serve
the
creative
spirit
well.
Paul
has
received
3
Emmy
Award
nominations
for
his
original
scores
for
the
films,
"The
Devil
Came
on
Horseback"
(Break
Thru
Films),
"Full
Battle
Rattle"
(National
Geographic)
and
"The
Trials
of
Darryl
Hunt"
(HBO).
Young
American
Recordings
recently
released
the
Hunt
soundtrack,
curated
by
Brill,
featuring
selections
from
his
score
and
contributions
by
Andrew
Bird,
M.
Ward,
Dead
Prez,
Califone,
and
Mark
Kozelek
among
many
others.
Paul
recently
won
the
2011
Best
Music
Award
from
the
International
Documentary
Association
for
his
score
for
the
film,
"Better
this
World."
Brill
recently
scored
the
HBO
film,
"Burma
Soldier,"
on
which
he
collaborated
with
Rock
legends
U2
-‐
composing
a
new
string
arrangement
for
an
acoustic
version
of
their
classic
hit,
"Walk
On."
He
scored
the
hit
documentary,
"Joan
Rivers:
A
Piece
of
Work"
(IFC),
as
well
as
Christy
Turlington
Burns'
directorial
debut,
"No
Woman,
No
Cry,"
on
which
he
collaborated
with
songwriter
Martha
Wainwright,
and
the
film
adaptation
of
the
best-‐selling
book,
"Freakonomics"
(Magnolia
Pictures).
Cinematographer
Shane
Sigler
Shane
Sigler
is
an
accomplished
cinematographer
working
in
documentaries,
feature
films,
commercials,
and
music
videos.
In
addition
to
Alias
Ruby
Blade,
his
feature
credits
include
Michael
Moore’s
Capitalism:
A
Love
Story,
Bruce
Weber’s
A
Letter
to
True,
Paul
Morrissey’s
News
From
Nowhere,
and
HBO’s
Lady
Gaga
film.
Commercial
clients
include
Chanel,
Ralph
Lauren,
Christian
Dior,
Levi’s,
UPS,
IBM,
Pringle
of
Scotland,
Johnson
and
Johnson,
Abercrombie
and
Fitch,
Tommy
Hilfiger,
Coach,
Calvin
Klein,
Bloomingdales,
Planned
Parenthood,
and
the
New
York
Times.
Shane’s
music
video
credits
include
Lady
Gaga,
Eliza
Doolittle,
and
Lissy
Trullie.
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SECTION 4: CAST BIOGRAPHIES
OTHER CAST
Kay
Rala
Xanana
Gusmão
Kay
Rala
Xanana
Gusmão
was
born
on
June
20,
1946
in
Manatuto,
East
Timor.
He
was
raised
in
the
country,
with
a
brother
and
five
sisters.
His
father
was
a
schoolteacher.
It
was
in
1974
that
a
coup
in
Portugal
resulted
in
the
decolonization
for
Portuguese
Timor.
Gusmão
became
deeply
involved
with
the
political
group
FRETILIN.
On
28
November
1975,
Fretilin
declared
the
independence
of
Portuguese
Timor
as
"The
Democratic
Republic
of
East
Timor",
and
Gusmão
was
responsible
for
filming
the
ceremony.
Nine
days
later,
Indonesia
invaded
East
Timor.
At
the
time
Gusmão
was
visiting
friends
outside
of
Dili
and
he
witnessed
the
invasion
from
the
hills.
Gusmão
became
heavily
involved
in
resistance
activities.
He
was
largely
responsible
for
the
level
of
organization
that
evolved
in
the
resistance,
which
ultimately
led
to
its
success.
By
the
mid-‐1980s,
he
was
a
major
leader.
As
a
result
of
his
high
profile,
Gusmão
became
a
prime
target
of
the
Indonesian
government.
A
campaign
for
his
capture
was
finally
successful
in
November
1992.
In
May
1993,
Gusmão
was
tried,
convicted
and
sentenced
to
life
imprisonment
by
the
Indonesian
government.
Although
not
released
until
late
1999,
Gusmão
successfully
led
the
resistance
from
within
prison.
On
30
August
1999,
a
referendum
was
held
in
East
Timor
and
an
overwhelming
majority
voted
for
independence.
Elections
were
held
in
late
2001
and
Gusmão
and
was
elected
leader.
As
a
result
he
became
the
first
President
of
East
Timor
when
it
became
formally
independent
on
20
May
2002.
Since
2008
he
has
been
Prime
Minister
having
won
re-‐election
to
that
post
in
2012.
Gusmão
has
been
the
recipient
of
many
awards
and
prizes
including:
1995:
Honorary
Citizen
of
Brasília,
Brazil
1998:
Order
of
Freedom,
Portugal
1998:
Honorary
Citizen
of
São
Paulo,
Brazil
1999:
European
Parliament
Sakharov
Prize
2000:
Order
of
Merit,
New
Zealand
2000:
Honorary
Citizen
of
Lisbon,
Portugal
(awarded
the
Gold
Key
of
Lisbon
City)
2000:
Kwangju
(South
Korea)
Peace
Prize
2000:
Sydney
Peace
Prize
2000:
Medal
of
the
Vice-‐Presidency
of
the
Federative
Republic
of
Brazil
2000:
Honorary
Doctorate,
University
of
Oporto,
Portugal
2002:
Grande
Colar
da
Ordem
do
Cruzeiro
do
Sul,
Brazil
2002:
UNESCO
Félix
Houphouët-‐Boigny
Peace
Prize
2003:
International
Herald
Tribune
“Leadership
with
Integrity”
Award
2003:
BusinessWeek
"Stars
of
Asia"
Award
2003:
2003
Path
to
Peace
Award,
Path
to
Peace
Foundation
2003:
Honorary
Knighthood
of
the
Grand
Cross
of
the
Order
of
St.
Michael
&
St.
George
2004:
Honorary
Law
Doctorate
Degree,
Suncheon
National
University,
Korea
2006:
Grande
Colar
da
Ordem
de
Dom
Infante,
Portugal
2006:
Honorary
Philosophy
Doctorate
Degree,
University
of
Takushoku,
Japan
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SECTION 4: CAST BIOGRAPHIES
OTHER CAST
Josè
Ramos-‐Horta
Josè
was
born
in
East
Timor
to
a
Timorese
mother
and
Portuguese
Father.
He
was
a
founder
and
member
of
the
Revolutionary
Front
for
an
Independent
East
Timor.
In
1975
he
was
on
his
way
to
the
United
Nations
in
New
York
when
Indonesia
invaded
East
Timor.
From
that
time
until
the
referendum
he
served
as
the
exiled
foreign
minister,
roaming
the
world
advocating
support
for
the
East
Timorese
quest
for
independence.
In
1996
he
was
the
co-‐recipient
of
the
Nobel
Peace
Prize
for
his
efforts
to
bring
a
peaceful
resolution
to
the
conflict.
Awards
2001
-‐
Hollywood
Film
Festival
Humanitarian
Award
2000
-‐
Gold
Medal
of
the
President
of
Italy
1999
-‐
First
Hague
Peace
Appeal
Award
1998
-‐
Gold
Medal
of
the
University
of
Coimbra
1998
-‐The
Gran
Cross
of
the
Order
of
Freedom,
President
of
Portugal
1997
-‐
Medal
of
the
University
of
San
Francisco
1996
-‐
Nobel
Peace
Prize,
Oslo
1996
-‐
First
UNPO
Freedom
Prize,
The
Hague
1995
-‐
International
Peace
Activist
Award,
Gleitsman
Foundation,
CA
1993
-‐
Professor
Thorof
Rafto
Human
Rights
Award,
Bergen.
Constancio
Pinto
Pinto
was
8
years
old
when
the
Indonesians
invaded.
By
the
age
of
11
he
was
hiding
in
the
mountains
as
a
resistance
fighter.
He
eventually
relocated
into
Dili,
the
capital
and
became
a
leader
of
the
clandestine
movement.
As
a
result
he
became
the
second
most
wanted
man
after
Xanana
by
the
Indonesian
army.
He
was
forced
to
flee
soon
after
the
Santa
Cruz
massacre
and
came
to
the
United
States
to
continue
the
struggle
through
diplomacy.
He
has
served
as
the
Ambassador
to
the
United
States
of
America
and
is
now
Deputy
Minister
of
Foreign
Affairs.
He
was
the
author
of
the
book
“East
Timor’s
Unfinished
Struggle”.
Naldo
Rei
At
the
age
of
9
Naldo
was
captured
and
tortured
by
the
Indonesian
army
and
so
began
his
life
as
a
resistance
fighter.
After
fleeing
for
Jakarta,
Naldo
worked
closely
with
Kirsty
before
eventually
seeking
refuge
in
Australia.
He
is
the
author
of
the
book
“Resistance:
A
Childhood
fighting
for
East
Timor”.
SunJive
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16
SECTION 4: CAST BIOGRAPHIES
OTHER CAST
Geoffrey
Robinson
Geoffrey
is
a
historian
and
human
rights
activists
currently
serving
as
the
head
of
the
history
department
at
UCLA.
He
is
the
author
of
many
books
and
monographs
covering
conflicts
in
South
East
Asia.
After
serving
as
a
political
advisor
to
the
United
Nations
during
the
referendum
he
wrote
a
personal
account
of
his
experiences
in
the
book
“If
You
Leave
Us
Here,
We
Will
Die:
How
Genocide
was
Stopped
in
East
Timor”.
Pat
Walsh
Pat
was
deeply
involved
in
the
efforts
of
the
Timorese
struggle
and
was
editor
of
the
magazine
“Inside
Indonesia”
which
was
highly
critical
of
the
Indonesian
dictatorship
at
the
time.
After
the
historic
referendum
and
the
ensuing
chaos,
Pat
became
the
senior
advisor
to
CAVR
and
was
instrumental
in
the
publication
of
CHEGA!,
the
truth
seeking
report
of
over
2500
pages
which
chronicles
the
human
rights
violations
committed
during
the
occupation
of
Timor-‐Leste.
Awards
2009:
The
Insignia
of
the
Order
of
Timor-‐Leste.
2011:
The
Order
of
Australia
for
service
to
the
International
community.
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17
SECTION 5: CREDITS
END
CREDITS
Featuring
KIRSTY
SWORD
GUSMÃO
XANANA
GUSMÃO
JOSE
RAMOS-‐HORTA
Featuring
MAX
STAHL
CONSTANCIO
PINTO
GREGORIO
SALDANHA
VICTORIA
MARKWICK-‐SMITH
JOSÉ
BELO
JOÃO
FREITAS
CAMARA
GEOFFREY
ROBINSON
PAT
WALSH
NALDO
REI
WILSON
BIN
NURTIAS
Director
ALEX
MEILLIER
Producer
TANYA
AGER
MEILLIER
Executive
Producers
ABIGAIL
E.
DISNEY
GINI
RETICKER
Executive
Producer
SILVIO
SALOM
Producer
RICHARD
KEDDIE
Director
of
Photography
SHANE
SIGLER
Music
by
PAUL
BRILL
Written
&
Edited
by
TANYA
AGER
MEILLIER
ALEX
MEILLIER
SunJive
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18
SECTION 5: CREDITS
Story
Consultant
JOHN
WALTER
Director
of
Photography
(Australia)
SCOTT
ANGER
Additional
Cinematography
ALEX
MEILLIER
Assistant
Producers
ADRIANE
GIEBEL
MATT
LAUMB
1st
Assistant
Editor
SASHA
FRIEDLANDER
Assistant
Editor
PEDRO
TERRAGO
Dili
Field
Producers
GABRIL
“AZIBY”
CAROCHA
ELIZABETH
CORREIRA
Jakarta
Field
Producer
ARIE
PARIKESIT
Timor-‐Leste
Assistant
Producers
JOÃO
FERRO
TANIA
BETTENCOURT
CORREIA
DAVID
PALAZÓN
Australia
Assistant
Producer
ELLA
KEDDIE
Assistant
to
Ms.
Sword
Gusmão
JENNY
COLES
Assistant
to
Prime
Minister
Gusmão
ELIZABETH
EXPOSTO
Associate
Producers
TATIANA
GOLOVINA
BRENDAN
AGER
TANYA
SCHMALFUSS
SHELLY
FITZPATRICK
JESSICA
BAIR
THOMAS
G.
HOFFMAN
JR.
ELIZABETH
MEILLIER
SHAUN
JEFFORD
JOEL
TUCKER
Researcher
COLIN
NUSBAUM
Motion
Graphics
&
Titles
SHAWN
KILLEBREW
ALEX
MEILLIER
Supervising
Sound
Editor
/
Re-‐recording
Mixer
NICHOLAS
RENBECK
Dialogue
Editor
LOUIS
BERTINI
SunJive
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19
SECTION 5: CREDITS
Sound
Effects
Editor
WYATT
SPRAGUE
Colorist
RICK
BROAT
Post-‐Production
Interns
EDUARDO
MOURA
NAN
SIRISAMPHAN
Transcripts
MARCY
THORNE,
A
Better
Type
Translations
NELIA
DA
COSTA
Legal
Services
KAREN
SHATZKIN
INNES
SMOLANSKY,
ESQ.
Drivers
ASANO
ANTONIO
Mixing
Studio
C5
Post
House
Frame:Runner,
Inc.
New
York
Transfers
and
dubs
Dijifi,
Brooklyn
Distribution
in
Australia
Sunjive
Releasing
Original
Score
Composed,
Performed
&
Produced
by
PAUL
BRILL
Recorded
2012
at
Casa
de
Rico
y
Luca
Studios
in
Brooklyn
Additional
recording
ROBERT
L.
SMITH
Assistant
TYLER
HARTMAN
Additional
Orchestration
MICHAEL
LEONHART
String
arrangements
performed
by
ANTOINE
SILVERMAN
–
Violin
ANJA
WOOD
–
Cello
MATT
LEHMANN
–
Violin
HIROKO
TAGUCHI
-‐
Viola
“HOPE”
written
by
ELIZABETH
ZIMAN
and
PAUL
BRILL
Performed
by
the
Ruby
Blade
Singers
ELIZABETH
ZIMAN
JAMIE
LEONHART
SACHAL
VASANDANI
JEFF
TAYLOR
SONYA
KITCHELL
DEIDRE
RODMAN
STRUCK
PAUL
LOREN
PAUL
BRILL
LAUREN
BALTHROP
SunJive
Releasing
Pty
Ltd
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20
SECTION 5: CREDITS
Archival
material
Kirsty
&
Xanana
Gusmão
TAPOL
Victoria
Markwick-‐Smith
Anne
Maregiano
Centro
Audiovisual
Max
Stahl
C.H.A.R.T.
Archive
AP
Timorese
National
Resistance
Museum
Thought
Equity
Inside
Indonesia
Magazine
ITN
United
Nations
ABC
Australia
ABC
News
Australian
National
Defence
Force
CBS
News
Australian
National
Film
&
Sound
Archive
BBC
World
News
Australian
Council
for
Overseas
Aid
Channel
4
U.K.
Estate
of
Dr.
Andrew
McNaughton
Reuters
East
Timor
Action
Network
Very
Special
Thanks
YVONNE
LANGLEY
WALSH
JOE
&
LIZ
MEFFORD
CHIARA
CLEMENTE
ANN
KIM
TRICIA
STUART
STEVEN
MEILLIER
AMY,
MARY
&
CRAIG
EKELAND
RUTH
REYNOLDS
Special
Thanks
ROSALIE
SWORD
CONOR
O’NEILL
TAUR
MATAN
RUAK
FAMILY
OF
BERNADINO
GUTERRES
JOHN
GUNSON
MILTON
TABBOT
JULIA
GILLARD
ROSE
VINCELLI
GUSTINE
JOHN
WADDINGHAM
KYM
SMITHIES
KIM
MCGRATH
CARLOS
ISLAM
JAN
COCHRANE-‐O’HARRY
JOHN
MILLER
PETER
MCMULLIN
RYAN
HARRINGTON
CARMEL
BUDIARDJO
DAVID
G
A
PERRY
FERNANDO
LA
SAMA
ARAUJO
THE
HOTEL
WINDSOR
EDDY
HASBY
THOM
POWERS
SISTER
ESMERALDA
TANYA
SELVARATNAM
SCHEIB
MATTHEW
SEIG
SVETLANA
ZILL
SAM
CULLMAN
ADAM
ZUCKER
Fiscal
Sponsorship
provided
by
New
York
Foundation
for
the
Arts
Supported
by
the
Gucci
Tribeca
Documentary
Fund
With
support
from
IFP
Copyright
Ager
Meillier
Films
Inc.
SunJive
Releasing
Pty
Ltd
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21
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