Starring: John Shipton, Stella Moris, Julian Sands
Distributor: Other
Runtime: 111 mins. Reviewed in May 2022
Reviewer: Fr Peter Malone msc
| 
| 
A documentary about the campaign to free Julian Assange by his father, as well as his lawyer, now wife, Stella Moris. Assange remains a remand prisoner at the UK’s maximum security Belmarsh Prison as he appeals an extradition order to the US.
The focus of this documentary is Julian Assange. At the time of the release of the film, WikiLeaks is 16 years old, and is still responsible for the release of numerous documents unmasking abuses in all areas, including political and financial.
While Assange does appear in this film, it is mainly through photographs or by his voice on the phone (and the audience realising that the phone provides an outlet for communication and some sanity during harsh imprisonment, including 23 hours a day lockdown in cells).
However, the focus of attention in the film is also on Assange’s father, John Shipton, who separated from his wife before Julian was born. After 20 years, he came back into Julian’s life and in more recent years has been a constant champion, crusader for his son’s release. He is at the centre of this film which was produced by his son, Gabriel, who also appears. At the time of the film-making, Shipton was 76. So, in this sense, the film is a portrait of Shipton.
Also prominent in the film is Stella Moris, part of Assange’s legal team, then his fiancee and lover, mother of two children, and wife from March 2022. She is a strong personality, committed to Julian Assange, his cause and liberty. (Jennifer Robinson, who has been spokesperson for Assange over many years, is glimpsed only once, going into the court.)
The action of the film takes place after Assange’s years in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. He has been confined to Belmarsh prison, infamous for its harsh treatment. Visits were limited. However, over the decade there have been constant world-wide protests in his favour. The case in point for his internment, and refusal of bail, is the American government’s demand that he be extradited to the US on charges of treason because of the release of so much documentation through WikiLeaks (and the famous sequence of the attack on civilians in Iraq is included at the beginning of this film).
Many people around the world have had difficulty in responding to Julian Assange and his personality, perhaps applauding his revelation of the secrets, but finding his personality difficult – and the information here that he is on the spectrum, Asperges, and long prone to depression and suicidal drives. In fact, his mental condition is a central part of the defence against his being extradited to the United States where the harsh imprisonment in Colorado would aggravate his depression and drive him towards suicide. This prevailed at the London hearing in 2021 after 19 days of hearings, but the American government appealed.
The point is made that the investigator into the leaks came to the conclusion in 2013 that no lives were lost because of the leaks.
In the background is Chelsea Manning, the information given to WikiLeaks by her and revealed. There is also an interview with Edward Snowden.
Throughout the film, there is a great deal of emphasis on the freedom of the press, whether Assange should be considered a journalist, and the consequences of his conviction on freedom to report by other journalists.
This is a film supports Assange, and, at the end, the listing of some governments, some officials, organisations around the world who are asking for his release.
But, in the meantime, this is an interesting and often engaging portrait of John Shipton, calm, edgy, giving myriad interviews, devoting his life to his son’s cause. The film is also a sympathetic and understanding portrait of S Moris and her personal and legal commitment.
There have been many documentaries and news coverage of Assange –Robert Connolly directed The Underground, a 2012 television feature about Assange and his upbringing. And in 2013 there was The Fifth Estate, with Benedict Cumberbatch as Assange.
12 Random Films…
