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Citizenfour

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Citizenfour

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Summary

Documentary in which whistleblower Edward Snowden reveals to film-maker Laura Poitras and journalist Glenn Greenwald how America's National Security Agency has systematically abused privacy laws to keep the public under surveillance. Having already leaked sensitive information regarding the organisation's illegal practices, Snowden knows the net is tightening around him and his own safety is at risk.

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Review

A star rating of 4 out of 5.

Victoria Luxford

Hong Kong, 2013: Edward Snowden, a former employee of the American National Security Agency, tells a select group of journalists (whom he has contacted under the handle Citizenfour) about the mass surveillance and gross abuses of power used by his organisation. Film-maker Laura Poitras is there to chronicle the meetings. From a very cynical perspective, this must surely be every documentarian's dream - to have a camera rolling as these inconvenient truths (for the government at least) are unveiled. For there is no denying the impact of Snowden's revelations and what it means to everyone in America, if not the world. Flagrant abuses of power are unveiled by the affable yet sincere whistle-blower, whose awareness of the danger he is in only furthers the thriller-like feel of the documentary. While the film loses some urgency in its final third, it's a thrilling, shocking snapshot of a moment in time that will live in history, a reminder of the very real threat that those in power can pose to the citizens they have sworn to protect.

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8.0/10

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Credits

Cast

rolenameEdward SnowdenEdward SnowdenGlenn GreenwaldGlenn Greenwald

Crew

rolenameDirectorLaura Poitras

Details

Theatrical distributor

Artificial Eye

Released on

2014-10-31

Languages

English | German | Portuguese

Guidance

Swearing.

Available on

DVD

Formats

Colour

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