Director Robert Connolly will unveil footage from his much anticipated film Balibo about the death of five Australian journalists in East Timor at an international press freedom summit in Finland next week.
The political thriller, which stars Anthony LaPaglia, Damon Gameau, Gyton Grantley and Nathan Phillips, will be previewed to media at the 58th International Press Institute world congress in Helsinki on June 8.
Delegates will be shown excerpts of the film along with a special presentation by Connolly, Gameau and Maureen Tolfree, the sister of Brian Peters, one of the journalists killed in East Timor. Ms Tolfree is a long-time campaigner for justice.
Connolly, whose previous films include The Bank and Three Dollars, said he was thrilled to be showing Balibo at the congress.
"The International Press Institute conference is the premier event worldwide looking at the role of the journalist in wartime and conflict, so we are all extremely excited to announce our film to the world's media at this important forum," Connolly said.
Balibo tells the story of the shooting of Australian journalists during Indonesia's invasion of East Timor in 1975.
The story is told through the eyes of war correspondent Roger East (LaPaglia) and a young Jose Ramos-Horta, who travel to East Timor to investigate the murders of the Balibo Five.
In 2007, NSW deputy coroner Dorelle Pinch found the five were deliberately killed by Indonesian troops to cover up the invasion of East Timor.
The press institute's director, David Dadge, said his organisation was proud to help bring the story to a wider audience.
"We hope this film will finally encourage the Indonesian authorities to reconcile their past with their international human rights obligations and bring to justice those who committed these crimes, something the families and colleagues of these men have sought for too long," he said.
Balibo will have its Australian premiere at the Melbourne International Film Festival next month. It will be released nationally on August 13.
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