In 2005, filmmaker Alex Gibney focussed his documentary eye upon corporate crime in “Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room”. His latest film looks at another controversial organisation – WikiLeaks.
“We Steal Secrets: The Story Of WikiLeaks” is a 130-minute documentary, piecing together archival news footage, along with interviews with WikiLeaks insiders, media members, and ex- government and espionage staff.
The film covers the story behind the rise of the WikiLeaks movement and its enigmatic leader, Julian Assange. It then moves into what is the movement’s most controversial release of information, the absolute trove of classified military information provided by U.S. Army PFC Bradley Manning.
From there the film covers the moves by governments to strangle WikiLeaks’ funding model, and then his fight against extradition to Sweden to answer rape allegations.
On top of the retelling of Assange and his controversial organisation, weaving throughout the film is an examination of the debate around freedom of information versus the need for secrecy in military and diplomatic matters.
“We Steal Secrets: The Story Of WikiLeaks” debuted at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, and will screen in cinemas July 4.
This is a sponsored post but opinions are my own.