'Citizenfour' chronicles Edward Snowden's exchanges with journalists in a Hong Kong hotel room as he reveals the scale of the US government's spying programme at home and abroad.
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An Oscar-winning documentary by US film maker Laura Poitras, ‘Citizenfour’ is the culmination of a post-9/11 trilogy.
The film chronicles Poitras and her colleagues’ meetings with NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden in a Hong Kong hotel room as he prepares to reveal to the world the scale of the US government’s spying both at home and abroad.
The documentary-maker, who has put her own life at risk filming as a lone woman in Iraq (for her 2006 documentary ‘My Country, My Country’), successfully portrays the state of mind of a man prepared to do the same for his beliefs.
Never seen and rarely heard, Poitras presents her footage in her trademark modest and nuanced fashion, avoiding clichés and easy morals.
Whether you believe Snowden is a hero or a traitor, ‘Citizenfour’ should be compulsory viewing for any citizen of the world who wants to make an informed decision. And like any good spy movie, I guarantee you will enjoy it, too. See you next week.
