Le réalisateur américain Eugene Jarecki présente un documentaire sur le lanceur d'alerte australien, "The Six Billion Dollar Man", à Cannes. Le film met en lumière la vie et les actions de Julian Assange, figure emblématique de la liberté de la presse. Le documentaire explore les enjeux politiques et médiatiques liés à son combat pour la transparence et la vérité. Une plongée fascinante dans l'univers complexe de celui qui a défié les puissants pour défendre la liberté d'expression. Julian Assange présente un documentaire sur sa vie à Cannes.

Le réalisateur américain Eugene Jarecki consacre au lanceur d’alerte australien un documentaire, «The Six Billion Dollar Man».

France Télévisions – Rédaction Culture

Publié le 21/05/2025 18:14

Temps de lecture : 4min

Julian Assange, pose à Cannes, mardi 20 mai, avec un T-shirt blanc portant les prénoms des enfants palestiniennes tués à Gaza en représailles à l'attaque perpétrée par le Hamas le 7 octobre 2023. (MUSTAFA YALCIN / ANADOLU / AFP) — Julian Assange, pose à Cannes, mardi 20 mai, avec un T-shirt blanc portant les prénoms des enfants palestiniennes tués à Gaza en représailles à l’attaque perpétrée par le Hamas le 7 octobre 2023.

The founder of WikiLeaks Julian Assange, who has been «restored» after many years of confinement according to his wife Stella Assange, was in Cannes on Wednesday, May 21 for the screening of a documentary about him, featuring unseen footage.

Promoting the film by American director Eugene Jarecki, «The Six Billion Dollar Man,» the Australian activist, whose legal troubles ended in June 2024 after five years in prison in the UK, did not wish to speak directly, reserving his comments for when he feels ready, as indicated by his wife to AFP.

He did, however, appear for a photo shoot on Tuesday wearing a white T-shirt with the names of thousands of Palestinian children killed in Gaza in retaliation for attacks by Hamas on October 7, 2023.

Documentarian Eugene Jarecki, who was awarded a Golden Globe on Tuesday in Cannes for his body of work, aims to present a new image of the 53-year-old former hacker and counter misconceptions about Assange, whose methods and personality have made him a controversial figure.

«I believe that Julian Assange put himself in danger for the principle of informing the public about what companies and governments around the world do in secret,» said Eugene Jarecki to AFP. Anyone willing to sacrifice years of their life for principles should be seen as someone with «heroic qualities,» continued the 55-year-old director.

His film includes intimate footage provided by Stella Assange, who joined WikiLeaks as a legal advisor. The lawyer had two children with her husband while he was in the Ecuadorian embassy in London.

Actress Pamela Anderson, a friend of Assange, and whistleblower Edward Snowden also appear in the documentary. Former left-wing president of Ecuador Rafael Correa, who offered asylum to Assange in his London embassy, is also featured in the Cannes premiere.

Julian Assange was released from a high-security British prison last June after reaching an agreement with the US government, which wanted to prosecute him for publishing top-secret diplomatic and military information.

The activist spent five years behind bars in England, resisting extradition to the US after seven years holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where he had sought political asylum.

Today, «we live amidst lush nature (in Australia). Julian loves spending time outdoors. (…) He has really recovered physically and mentally,» rejoiced Stella Assange, a Spanish-Swedish lawyer who defended her husband in court.

Jarecki does not dwell on the dark sides of his protagonist, particularly when he put lives at risk by publishing unredacted American diplomatic cables, including the names of informants, including human rights activists.

The director also dismisses any connection between WikiLeaks and Russian intelligence services regarding the leak of Democratic Party emails just before the 2016 US presidential election, which led to Hillary Clinton’s defeat against Donald Trump.

Special counsel Robert Mueller, who investigated Russian interference in the election, found evidence indicating that Russian military intelligence had hacked the Democratic Party and then transferred the information to WikiLeaks. «En dehors de déclarations de gens du Parti démocrate, nous n’avons trouvé aucune trace d’un lien entre WikiLeaks et la Russie«, a affirmé Eugene Jarecki.

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Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, who has been described as «restored» by his wife Stella Assange after years of confinement, made an appearance at the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday, May 21st. He was there for the screening of a documentary about him, featuring never-before-seen footage.

Assange, whose legal troubles came to an end in June 2024 after five years in prison in the UK, was in Cannes to promote the film «The Six Billion Dollar Man» directed by Eugene Jarecki. Despite not speaking directly to the press, Assange’s wife mentioned that he would share his thoughts when he feels ready.

During a photoshoot on Tuesday, Assange was seen wearing a white T-shirt with the names of thousands of Palestinian children who were killed in Gaza in retaliation to attacks by Hamas on October 7, 2023.

Documentary filmmaker Eugene Jarecki, honored with a Golden Globe at Cannes, aims to present a new image of the 53-year-old former hacker and challenge misconceptions about Assange. Jarecki believes that Assange, who sacrificed years of his life to inform the public about secret activities of governments and corporations worldwide, should be considered a hero.

The documentary includes intimate footage provided by Stella Assange, who joined WikiLeaks as a legal advisor. Pamela Anderson, a friend of Assange, and whistleblower Edward Snowden also make appearances in the film. Former Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa, who granted Assange asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, is featured for the first time at Cannes.

Assange was released from a high-security British prison in June 2024 after reaching an agreement with the US government to face charges for publishing top-secret diplomatic and military information. He spent five years in prison in the UK and seven years confined in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, seeking political asylum.

Stella Assange, his Spanish-Swedish lawyer and wife, expressed her joy at seeing Julian recover physically and mentally in their home in Australia. Jarecki’s documentary does not delve into the controversial aspects of Assange’s actions, such as putting lives at risk by publishing unredacted US diplomatic cables with informant names.

The filmmaker also dismisses any connections between WikiLeaks and Russian intelligence regarding the release of emails from the Democratic Party before the 2016 US presidential election. Despite claims by Democratic Party members, Jarecki asserts that there is no evidence linking WikiLeaks to Russia.

In conclusion, Julian Assange’s presence at Cannes and the screening of the documentary shed light on his past struggles and the controversy surrounding his actions. The film attempts to present a different perspective on Assange and his motivations, while also highlighting the support he received from allies like Pamela Anderson and Edward Snowden.

France Télévisions – Rédaction Culture

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