Grace Phan’s documentary, A Hero’s Journey, charts Xanana Gusmao’s journey from fisherman, poet, guerilla leader to President, through his relationships with the people and the land of East Timor’a beautiful country full of blue water beaches, emerald mountains, deep jungle terrain and villages where the people seem as striking and as full of colour as the landscape. Seen through Gusmao’s eyes this film opens with a terrifying poem recited by the President over scenes of beautiful, rugged countryside.

From the safety of Australia, it is difficult to comprehend the suffering of the East Timorese under Indonesian rule. Why did Gusmao and his comrades fight for liberation for 24 years, hiding out in the jungles? Why did Gusmao endure nine years incarceration in an Indonesian prison? Visiting a village in the film, he is asked to join a traditional dance with two women wearing brightly coloured fabrics. The villagers clap and laugh as they begin to dance’ ‘integration’ with Indonesia would have meant the loss of the East Timorese people’s spirit, colour and traditions forever.

Gusmao provided leadership throughout, but the film clearly shows that he has learned from the people he encountered on his journey. An elderly woman, who sold everything to buy malaria medicine for him, saved his life. In prison he overcame his hatred of Indonesian guards. He learned the meaning of forgiveness from a villager whose arms were broken so badly by Indonesian soldiers that he asked his sons to amputate them. Gusmao urges his people to forgive in order to be free.

The film closes with another poem, one of rebirth and hope. Forgiveness is not easy, as recent events in East Timor have shown, but with the journey to liberation resolved Gusmao is now trying to guide his people to reach out for the future.