Ithaka (film)

Last updated
Ithaka
Directed by Ben Lawrence
Produced byGabriel Shipton
StarringStella Assange, John Shipton
Production
company
Shipton House
Release date
CountriesCanada, United Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Ithaka is a 2021 Australian documentary film, which depicts the incarceration of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange through the experience of his wife Stella Assange and his father John Shipton. It was produced by his half-brother Gabriel Shipton. [1] It premiered at the Sydney Film Festival on November 7, 2021. [2] [3] [4]

Contents

Production

Ithaka was produced by Julian Assange's half-brother Gabriel Shipton. [1] In summer 2022, Gabriel Shipton approached Australian director Ben Lawrence to make a film about John Shipton's efforts to help Assange. [5] [6] Lawrence said he hoped the film would encourage Assange supporters, [5] and that

"It really was a family film. And as much as that creates subjectivity, I think I really leant into that and the film was built from the premise of love – and the film shows that. The film is an attempt is to try and show someone through the people who love them, and the people trying to prosecute them." [5]

During filming, Lawrence and Shipton lived together in close quarters. Lawrence said he had to earn Stella Assange's trust and "had to be very gentle and very careful about what was said, how we said it, what we filmed," and that he always checking in with the Assange family for clearance. [5] [6] The production was partly funded by grants. [7]

Reception

Two reviews from The Guardian gave it three stars and called it intriguing, [2] [8] and a third from Peter Bradshaw gave it four stars and said "this film is effectively an answer to Laura Poitras’ critical documentary Risk from 2016, which revealed Assange’s vanity and high-handedness." [9] The Los Angeles Times wrote that Ithaka "isn’t as effective an advocacy doc as it could be, sometimes feeling trapped between wanting to intellectualize with onscreen text and contextualized history and looking for observational moments that crystallize the pain and concern for the Assange family." The Los Angeles Times compared Ithaka unfavorably to Risk's willingness to explore disillusionment with Assange, writing that Ithaka seemed "almost afraid to address controversies that could be argued aren’t as important as what a successful prosecution of Assange ominously portends for journalism." [10]

The New York Times wrote that the film insisted Assange was the victim of a smear campaign, but "what exactly those smears are, the film declines to specify or debunk." The newspaper called it frustrating because "the film’s weak assertions hurt more than they help. Even those inclined to support Assange" would be annoyed by its flimsy reporting, "deception with evasions, half-truths and speculative accusations". [11] According to Variety , the documentary "is less about the man than the cause" of defending journalism. Variety criticised the documentary's presentation, saying "the whole movie is a kind of family affair... I’m sorry, but family affairs don’t tend to make for good documentaries." Variety wrote that Ithaka "takes a narrow view of Assange’s troubles, one that ultimately merges with a black-and-white view of his politics: He’s right, the American government is wrong" and compared it unfavorably to We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks . [12]

The Times gave it three stars and called it fascinating but said it was undone by "John Shipton, through whose eyes the film effectively unfolds." According to The Times, Shipton talked freely "about the geopolitical implications of WikiLeaks and his son’s journalistic idealism" but was "fractious, refuses to answer personal questions and consistently slides into grand, self-regarding, allusion-filled prolixity." [13] The Financial Times gave it three stars but called it "partisan" and "agitprop", saying "the makers’ partiality shows." They described it as "Julian Assange’s story told through the eyes of his family," and that "it is most worthwhile when director Ben Lawrence admits that." [1] The Green Left praised the documentary but noted that "Shipton and Moris are the ones who provide the balancing acts" in the narrative. [4]

Awards

The film won Best Documentary and Best Direction at the Capricorn Film Festival. [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Israel Shamir</span> Holocaust denier

Israel Shamir, also known by the names Robert David, Vassili Krasevsky, Jöran Jermas and Adam Ermash, is a Swedish writer and journalist, known for promoting antisemitism and Holocaust denial.

David Leigh is a British journalist and writer who was the investigations editor of The Guardian and is the author of Investigative Journalism: a survival guide. He officially retired in April 2013, although Leigh continued his association with the newspaper.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WikiLeaks</span> News leak publishing organisation

WikiLeaks is a media organisation and publisher founded in 2006. It operates as a non-profit and is funded by donations and media partnerships. It has published classified documents and other media provided by anonymous sources. It was founded by Julian Assange, an Australian editor, publisher, and activist, who is currently challenging extradition to the United States over his work with WikiLeaks. Since September 2018, Kristinn Hrafnsson has served as its editor-in-chief. Its website states that it has released more than ten million documents and associated analyses. WikiLeaks' most recent publication was in 2021, and its most recent publication of original documents was in 2019. Beginning in November 2022, many of the documents on the organisation's website could not be accessed.

Ben Lawrence is an Australian photographer and director of TV commercials and feature films. He is the son of Australian film maker Ray Lawrence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julian Assange</span> Australian journalist, editor, publisher, and activist, founder of WikiLeaks (born 1971)

Julian Paul Assange is an Australian computer programmer, editor, publisher, and activist who founded WikiLeaks in 2006. He came to wide international attention in 2010 when WikiLeaks published a series of leaks from US Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning: footage of a US airstrike in Baghdad, US military logs from the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, and US diplomatic cables.

The Afghan War documents leak, also called the Afghan War Diary, is the disclosure of a collection of internal U.S. military logs of the War in Afghanistan, which were published by WikiLeaks on 25 July 2010. The logs consist of over 91,000 Afghan War documents, covering the period between January 2004 and December 2009. Most of the documents are classified secret. As of 28 July 2010, only 75,000 of the documents have been released to the public, a move which WikiLeaks says is "part of a harm minimization process demanded by [the] source". Prior to releasing the initial 75,000 documents, WikiLeaks made the logs available to The Guardian, The New York Times and Der Spiegel in its German and English online edition, which published reports in line with an agreement made earlier the same day, 25 July 2010.

The United States diplomatic cables leak, widely known as Cablegate, began on Sunday, 28 November 2010 when WikiLeaks began releasing classified cables that had been sent to the U.S. State Department by 274 of its consulates, embassies, and diplomatic missions around the world. Dated between December 1966 and February 2010, the cables contain diplomatic analysis from world leaders, and the diplomats' assessment of host countries and their officials.

<i>WikiLeaks: Inside Julian Assanges War on Secrecy</i> Book by David Leigh and Luke Harding

WikiLeaks: Inside Julian Assange's War on Secrecy is a 2011 book by British journalists David Leigh and Luke Harding. It is an account of Julian Assange, WikiLeaks, and the leak by Chelsea Manning of classified material to the website in 2010. It was published by Guardian Books in February 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luke Harding</span> British journalist & writer (born 1968)

Luke Daniel Harding is a British journalist who is a foreign correspondent for The Guardian. He is known for his coverage of Russia under Vladimir Putin, WikiLeaks and Edward Snowden.

WikiLeaks, a whistleblowing website founded by Julian Assange, has received praise as well as criticism from the public, hacktivists, journalist organisations and government officials. The organisation has revealed human rights abuses and was the target of an alleged "cyber war". Allegations have been made that Wikileaks worked with or was exploited by the Russian government and acted in a partisan manner during the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

<i>Assange v Swedish Prosecution Authority</i> Legal proceedings over extraditing Julian Assange to Sweden

Assange v Swedish Prosecution Authority were the set of legal proceedings in the United Kingdom concerning the requested extradition of Julian Assange to Sweden for a "preliminary investigation" into accusations of sexual offences allegedly made in August 2010. Assange left Sweden in September 2010 and was arrested in his absence the same day. He was suspected of rape of a lesser degree, unlawful coercion and multiple cases of sexual molestation. In June 2012, Assange breached bail and sought refuge at Ecuador's Embassy in London and was granted asylum.

<i>World Tomorrow</i> TV series or program

World Tomorrow, or The Julian Assange Show, is a 2012 television program series of 26-minute political interviews hosted by WikiLeaks founder and editor Julian Assange. Twelve episodes were shot prior to the program's premiere. It first aired on 17 April 2012, the 500th day of the "financial blockade" of WikiLeaks, on RT.

<i>The Fifth Estate</i> (film) 2013 thriller film by Bill Condon

The Fifth Estate is a 2013 biographical thriller film directed by Bill Condon about the news-leaking website WikiLeaks. The film stars Benedict Cumberbatch as its editor-in-chief and founder Julian Assange and Daniel Brühl as its former spokesperson Daniel Domscheit-Berg. Anthony Mackie, David Thewlis, Alicia Vikander, Stanley Tucci, and Laura Linney are featured in supporting roles. The film's screenplay was written by Josh Singer based in-part on Domscheit-Berg's book Inside WikiLeaks: My Time with Julian Assange at the World's Most Dangerous Website (2011), as well as WikiLeaks: Inside Julian Assange's War on Secrecy (2011) by British journalists David Leigh and Luke Harding. The film's name is a reference to people who operate in the manner of journalists outside the normal constraints imposed on the mainstream media.

<i>We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks</i> 2013 American film

We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks is a 2013 American independent documentary film about the organization established by Julian Assange, and people involved in the collection and distribution of secret information and media by whistleblowers. Directed by Alex Gibney, it covers a period of several decades, and includes background material. Gibney received his fifth nomination for Best Documentary Screenplay from the Writers Guild of America Awards for this film.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WikiLeaks Party</span> Political party in Australia

The WikiLeaks Party was a minor political party in Australia between 2013 and 2015. The party was created in part to support Julian Assange's failed bid for a Senate seat in Australia in the 2013 election. The party won 0.62% of the national vote. At the time Assange was seeking refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London. The WikiLeaks Party national council included Assange, Matt Watt, Gail Malone, Assange’s biological father John Shipton, Omar Todd and Gerry Georgatos.

<i>Risk</i> (2016 film) 2016 film

Risk is a 2016 American documentary film written and directed by Laura Poitras about the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. It was screened in the Directors' Fortnight section at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival and received generally favorable reviews.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indictment and arrest of Julian Assange</span>

In 2012, while on bail Julian Assange was granted political asylum in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where he sought to avoid extradition to Sweden, and what his supporters said was the possibility of subsequent extradition to the US. On 11 April 2019, Ecuador revoked his asylum, he was arrested for failing to appear in court, and carried out of the Embassy by members of the London Metropolitan Police. Following his arrest, the US revealed a previously sealed 2018 US indictment in which Assange was charged with conspiracy to commit computer intrusion related to his involvement with Chelsea Manning and WikiLeaks.

John Shipton is an anti-war activist and architect in Sydney, Australia, and the father of Julian Assange. He founded the WikiLeaks Party and was involved in the creation of WikiLeaks and helped with WikiLeaks for years. He was criticised for meeting with President Bashar al-Assad during a trip to Syria as part of the WikiLeaks Party.

Margaret Ratner Kunstler is a civil rights attorney who has worked with WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, and Sarah Harrison. She has also worked with Anonymous and was the attorney for Jeremy Hammond. Kunstler graduated from Sarah Lawrence College and Columbia Law School. She was the co-chair of the February 2022 Belmarsh Tribunal organized by Progressive International in New York City. After her husband William Kunstler died, a dispute started with his former law partner, Ronald L. Kuby, over the right to use his name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Commentary about Julian Assange</span> View and reception of Julian Assange

Views on Julian Assange have been given by a number of public figures, including journalists, well-known whistleblowers, activists and world leaders. They range from laudatory statements to calls for his execution. Various journalists and free speech advocates have praised Assange for his work and dedication to free speech. Some former colleagues have criticised his work habits, editorial decisions and personality. After the 2016 US Presidential election, there was debate about his motives and his ties to Russia. After Assange's arrest in 2019, journalists and commenters debated about if Assange was a journalist. Assange has been awarded multiple awards for journalism and publishing.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Ithaka film review — Julian Assange's story told through the eyes of his family". Financial Times. 2022-07-07. Retrieved 2023-03-05.
  2. 1 2 "Ithaka review – intriguing portrait of the campaign to free Julian Assange". the Guardian. 10 July 2022.
  3. ↑ Quinn, Karl (1 June 2022). "Superb film shows the toll on Julian Assange's wife and father". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 19 July 2022. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  4. 1 2 Kampmark, Binoy (June 15, 2022). "Ithaka: Documenting the fight to free Julian Assange". Green Left.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Frajman, Anthony (2022-04-22). "'Ithaka': A father's fight". The Monthly. Retrieved 2023-10-17.
  6. 1 2 Quinn, Karl (2021-07-12). "Saving Julian Assange: Meet the people closest to the Wikileaks founder". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  7. ↑ "Shipton House". The Reva and David Logan Foundation. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  8. ↑ Seale, Jack (2023-05-21). "Ithaka: The Fight to Free Assange review – there's no better show about the WikiLeaks founder's battle". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2023-06-04.
  9. ↑ Bradshaw, Peter (2022-07-06). "Ithaka review – emotional look at absent Julian Assange's legal troubles". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2023-05-24.
  10. ↑ Abele, Robert (2023-03-03). "Review: The documentary 'Ithaka' attempts a difficult defense of Julian Assange". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-03-05.
  11. ↑ Nicholson, Amy (2023-03-23). "'Ithaka' Review: In Julian Assange They Trust". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2023-03-23.
  12. ↑ Gleiberman, Owen (2023-03-04). "'Ithaka' Review: A Documentary Asks If Julian Assange's Fight for Freedom Is Ours as Well". Variety. Retrieved 2023-03-05.
  13. ↑ Maher, Kevin. "Ithaka review — Assange's fractious father weakens fascinating film" – via www.thetimes.co.uk.
  14. ↑ "Cap Film Fest winners announced". Central Queensland Today . 30 January 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.