Risk (2016 film)

Risk (2016 film) is a documentary film directed by Laura Poitras, who won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature for her previous film, Citizenfour. The film provides an intimate portrait of Julian Assange, the founder of the WikiLeaks organization, and his colleagues over a six-year period. It explores the legal battles, political pressures, and internal conflicts surrounding their mission to publish classified information. The documentary premiered at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival and was later released in an updated version in 2017.

Plot

The film follows Julian Assange during a critical period from 2011 to 2016, as he seeks asylum in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London to avoid extradition to Sweden over sexual assault allegations. Scenes depict his life in confinement, his legal strategy meetings with lawyers like Baltasar Garzón, and his interactions with supporters such as the activist Jacob Appelbaum. Parallel narratives show the work of WikiLeaks staff, including the publication of the DNC emails during the 2016 United States presidential election. The film also captures moments with Chelsea Manning's legal team and the broader impact of leaks on global politics, including relations with the United States Department of Justice.

Production

Production began in 2011 when Laura Poitras, already known for her post-September 11 attacks filmmaking, started filming Julian Assange for a project on WikiLeaks. She collaborated with cinematographer Kirsten Johnson and received support from Field of Vision, the documentary unit co-founded by Charlotte Cook. The project was initially conceived as a film about the cyberwar and information activism movement. Filming occurred in multiple locations, including Iceland, the United Kingdom, and Germany, often under tight security due to the sensitive nature of the subject. The editing process, led by Melissa Jameson, was complex due to the evolving legal and political circumstances surrounding Assange.

Release

The film had its world premiere in the Directors' Fortnight section of the 2016 Cannes Film Festival on May 19, 2016. It was subsequently acquired for distribution by The Orchard and Showtime. A theatrical release in the United States began in May 2017. Following the 2016 United States presidential election and new developments in the Assange case, Poitras re-edited the film, creating a substantially different cut that premiered at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival. This updated version was released on Showtime and in select theaters later that year.

Reception

Critical reception was mixed, with praise for its access but criticism for its shifting perspective. Reviewing for The New York Times, Manohla Dargis called it a "messy, necessary documentary." Variety noted the film's complexity in portraying its controversial subject. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a moderate approval rating based on collected reviews. The film was discussed in major outlets like The Guardian and The Hollywood Reporter, often in the context of the ongoing debates about journalism, transparency, and the Obama administration's handling of leak prosecutions. It did not receive major award nominations like Poitras's previous work.

Controversy

Significant controversy arose from Laura Poitras's decision to substantially re-edit the film after its initial premiere, altering its tone and her stated relationship to the subject. In the 2017 version, she added critical narration, describing her discomfort with the "cult of personality" around Julian Assange and addressing allegations of misconduct by Jacob Appelbaum. This was seen by some, including writers at The Intercept, as a response to feminist critiques of the original cut. The film also ignited debates about documentary ethics, the portrayal of WikiLeaks, and the filmmaker's role amidst the political turmoil of the 2016 Trump campaign. These controversies were extensively covered in media analysis from Filmmaker Magazine and IndieWire.