The 10 Best Timor-Leste Movies You Should Watch

The 10 Best Timor-Leste Movies You Should Watch. You should check out these Timor-Leste Movies. These Timor-Leste Movies will give you a lot of fun and practice.

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Timor-Leste Movies

1. A Guerra da Beatriz (2013)

Director: Bety Reis, Luigi Acquisto

After a span of 16 years, since the disappearance of Beatriz’s spouse during a ruthless massacre carried out by the Indonesian occupying forces, she is grappling with the enigmatic reappearance of her husband. The question that haunts her is whether the individual in question is indeed the young man she had lost or an imposter. – Timor-Leste Movies

2. Abdul & José (2017)

Director: Lurdes Pires

During the period of Indonesia’s oppressive occupation of Timor, numerous children were abducted, along with a significant portion of the country’s resources.

One such individual affected by this tragedy is Jose Abdul Rahman. In 1978, at the age of eight, Jose was taking refuge on Mount Matebian when a bomb was dropped from a plane, resulting in the death of 22 members of his family.

Despite this traumatic event, Jose managed to survive and subsequently fled the mountain, eventually encountering an Indonesian Battalion. The soldiers coerced Jose and several other boys into serving as porters. In 1979, the soldiers transported the children via ship to Indonesia. – Timor-Leste Movies

3. Al Karnak (2017)

Director: Ali Badrakhan

The documentary delves into the circumstances surrounding the screening of the film “Al Karnak,” directed by Ali Badrakhan and adapted from Naguib Mahfouz’s novel. The film sparked significant technical and political controversy in Egypt, ultimately resulting in the intervention of President Sadat to alter its ending as a prerequisite for public exhibition. – Timor-Leste Movies

4. Ema Nudar Umanu (2018)

Director: Jonas Rusumalay Diaz

Ema Nudar Umanu is a poignant tale that recounts the dream of a deceased woman to a man who was born from a duck’s egg in a remote jungle. The narrative follows the journey of a couple who are compelled to unite, only to discover that they yearn to become one another.

The film explores the intersection of life and death, love and loneliness, masculinity and femininity, and the blurring of dreams and reality.

Despite being produced on a shoestring budget within a mere five weeks from conception to completion, the film is an unprecedented feat that breathes life into a vision from beyond the grave. Ema Nudar Umanu is a tragic yet comedic romance that embodies the spirit of freedom and absurdity. – Timor-Leste Movies

5. Chau u Polo (2012)

Director: Charles Meluk

In a remote area of Los Palos, a Timorese boy was subjected to teasing and ridicule at his local school due to his impoverished background. In a state of desperation, he fled to seek solace with his sole companion, a fisherman.

While fishing, he encountered a colossal crocodile who demanded fish in exchange for something more valuable than sustenance. After relinquishing the fish, the crocodile imparted three sagacious and confidential proverbs.

The boy returned to school and, two decades later, emerged as a highly accomplished political leader. When questioned about the source of his triumph, he eloquently recited the three wise sayings, culminating in a transformation of his voice into that of the crocodile from years prior. – Timor-Leste Movies

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6. Selfie (2017)

Director: Ian White

This brief dramatic piece hailing from East Timor portrays the challenges faced by a young female student as she confronts the negative aspects of social media. The protagonist is enticed into transmitting an explicit image to her significant other, ultimately grappling with the repercussions of her actions. – Timor-Leste Movies

7. Boneca de Atauro: Searching for the Lost Love (2016)

Director: David Palazon

The journey of Ataurina, a handmade rag doll, as she searches for her lost boyfriend Ketilu across the island of Atauro. Along the way, Ataurina encounters various dangers and meets other handmade puppets from the renowned cooperative, “Boneca de Atauro,” which comprises over 60 women based in the coastal village of Vila Maumeta on the beautiful Atauro island in Timor-Leste.

The film was produced pro bono by award-winning filmmaker David Palazón as a teaser for the cooperative’s fundraising campaign. It was co-produced by Swiss artist and the cooperative’s founder, Ester Piera Zuercher Camponovo, to obtain funding support for the cooperative’s immediate educational and infrastructure developments.

In addition to its fundraising purpose, the film also serves as a promotional tool for Atauro as a new eco-tourism destination in Southeast Asia. It showcases some of the island’s most beautiful locations, making it an ideal destination for tourists seeking a unique and authentic experience. – Timor-Leste Movies

8. The Pulsa Salesman (2016)

Director: Francisco Rosas

D. Jaime Garcia Goulart, a humble individual hailing from Pico island in the Azorean archipelago, embarked on a journey to the opposite side of the globe, where he was appointed as the inaugural Bishop of East-Timor in 1945.

The documentary endeavors to explore the legacy of D. Jaime in a youthful nation that has been ravaged by occupations and conflicts in pursuit of self-determination and independence, as seen through the perspective of a young Timorese. This film delves into the themes of language, religion, culture, and the resilience of people. – Timor-Leste Movies

9. Wawata Topu: Mermaids of Timor-Leste (2013)

Director: Enrique Alonso

The Wawata Topu, a group of women divers, represent four generations of fisherwomen who are striving to make a living in the coastal village of Adara, located in West Atauro, Timor-Leste.

This ethnographic portrait sheds light on their daily lives, economic practices, and vital concerns, as well as the social barriers and contradicting discourses they face.

It highlights their critical contribution to the household economies and the fishing community at large. Their underwater dancing takes place in a rapidly changing social context, where formal education is becoming more widespread, Western moral values are being consolidated, and alternative livelihoods not linked to the sea are becoming more attractive.

These changes are leading to a social negotiation of the household economic strategies that were initiated by the oldest generation during the 1950s. – Timor-Leste Movies

10. Mensajeiru (2014)

Director: Francisca Maia

A 15-year-old male adolescent accompanies his brother on a mission to safeguard their community during the period when East Timor was voting for independence from Indonesia. – Timor-Leste Movies

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