Risk

About Risk

Risk (2017) is a thrilling documentary, directed by Laura Poitras, that takes on a dynamic approach in analyzing the controversies surrounding Julian Assange and WikiLeaks. The documentary exposes the hub of political intrigue and power games that Julian Assange and his team get entangled in while they scramble to release confidential US government data.

Making / Production

Laura Poitras spent six years filming Risk. It started as a portrayal of activists combating governmental surveillance but eventually turned into a more comprehensive portrayal of Julian Assange, offering insights about his personality and his organization, WikiLeaks.

Actors

• Julian Assange - Julian Assange plays himself in this documentary. He showcases a determined individual, with relentless pursuit for transparency in governments all over the world.
• Sarah Harrison - Sarah, a member of Assange's team, plays herself in the movie and is portrayed as a dedicated and intelligent individual tirelessly working to achieve the goals of WikiLeaks.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• Risk first premiered at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.
• Despite being a documentary, the movie contains scenes of intense suspense similar to a thriller movie.
• Risk was Laura Poitras's follow-up film to Citizenfour, another documentary focused on governmental surveillance.

Awards

While the documentary did not win any awards, it was nominated for several, such as the Grand Jury Prize at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival and the Golden Eye at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.

Quotes

• "Every time we witness an injustice and do not act, we train our character to be passive in its presence." - Julian Assange
• "We don't know how much he reshaped history, but he certainly put a dent in it." - Comment on Julian Assange's influence

Music, Soundtrack

• The soundtrack for Risk was curated by Jeremy Flower, who created a gripping soundscape in combination with the tense storyline of the documentary.