The Dissident

Last updated

The Dissident
The Dissident film poster.png
Promotional poster
Directed by Bryan Fogel
Produced by
CinematographyJake Swantko
Edited by
  • James Leche
  • Wyatt Rogowski
  • Avner Shiloah
  • Scott Hanson
  • Naeem Raza
Music byAdam Peters
Production
companies
Distributed by Briarcliff Entertainment
Release dates
  • January 24, 2020 (2020-01-24)(Sundance)
  • December 25, 2020 (2020-12-25)(United States)
Running time
119 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States
Languages
  • Arabic
  • Turkish
  • English
Box office$92,688 [2]

The Dissident is a 2020 American documentary film directed and produced by Bryan Fogel. It follows the assassination of Jamal Khashoggi and Saudi Arabia's effort to control international dissent.

Contents

The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2020. It was released in a limited release on December 25, 2020, followed by video on demand on January 8, 2021, by Briarcliff Entertainment.

Synopsis

The film follows the assassination of Jamal Khashoggi and Saudi Arabia's effort to control international dissent. [3] [4] Central to the documentary is the story of the Saudi activist and video blogger, Omar Abdulaziz. [5]

According to Bryan Fogel, the movie's aim is to look "deeply into Khashoggi's murder and the ramifications of it." [6] While a CIA report released by the Biden administration implicated Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman in the death of Khashoggi, [7] Fogel believes the prince will never face an Interpol arrest warrant or formal investigation considering the vast amount of wealth he owns. [8]

Release

The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2020. [9] In September 2020, Briarcliff Entertainment acquired distribution rights to the film. [10] It was released in a limited release on December 25, 2020, followed by video on demand on January 8, 2021. [11]

The film struggled to find a distributor for eight months and was not able to run on a large streaming platform like Netflix or Amazon Prime Video. It is widely believed this was due to those platforms' fear of offending the Saudi Arabian government and possibly losing subscribers. [12] [13]

Fogel showed disappointment at The Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos’ decision to acquire UAE e-commerce site Souq.com shortly after he refused to release The Dissident on Amazon Prime Video. [14]

Reception

VOD sales

In its first weekend of home release, the film was the third-most rented title at the iTunes Store and eighth on Apple TV. [15] [16]

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes the film holds an approval rating of 96% based on 93 reviews, with an average rating of 7.9/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "The Dissident offers little catharsis in its unflinching look at a grisly murder—and gives no quarter in its forceful reminder of the fragility of free speech." [17] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 82 out of 100, based on 15 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". [18]

Jordan Hoffman of Screen International gave the film a positive review, writing: "The Dissident holds few new revelations but presents its case with enough infuriating evidence and storytelling power to make it worthwhile. [19] Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter wrote "Fogel's investigation is vigorous, deep and comprehensive." [20] Owen Gleiberman, reviewing the film in Variety, called it "an eye-opening thriller brew of corruption, cover-up, and real-world courage." [21]

Joseph Fahima of Middle East Eye gave the documentary a negative review, qualifying it as an "over-polished piece, which intentionally omits the less flattering aspects of [Khashoggi] story to deliver a more marketable product" and criticizing that the "theatrical tone prioritises atmosphere, emotional engagement, and mundane cinematic flourishes over well-rounded truth". [22]

Alleged manipulation

The filmmakers told The Washington Post that they believed trolls operating on behalf of the Saudi government created a false sense of popular disapproval of the film by flooding the review sites Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb. [23] Tiyson Reynolds from Rotten Tomatoes said "it appears that there have been deliberate attempts to manipulate the movie's audience score". [24]

Accolades

AwardDate of ceremonyCategoryRecipient(s)ResultRef.
ACE Eddie Awards April 17, 2021 Best Edited Documentary (Feature) Scott D. Hanson, James Leche, Wyatt Rogowski, and Avner ShiloahNominated [25]
British Academy Film Awards April 10–11, 2021 Best Documentary Bryan Fogel, Thor Halvorssen, Mark Monroe, and Jake SwantkoNominated [26]
Cinema Eye Honors March 9, 2021Outstanding ProductionBryan Fogel, Thor Halvorssen, Mark Monroe, and Jake SwantkoNominated [27]
Cinema for Peace Awards Award for JusticeThe DissidentWon [28]
Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association February 11, 2021 Best Documentary Film The Dissident4th place [29]
Detroit Film Critics Society March 8, 2021 Best Documentary The DissidentNominated [30]
Dublin International Film Festival March 14, 2021Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) Human Rights Film AwardThe DissidentWon [31] [32]
Special Jury PrizeThe DissidentWon
Georgia Film Critics Association March 12, 2021Best Documentary FilmThe DissidentNominated [33]
Satellite Awards February 15, 2021 Best Motion Picture, Documentary The DissidentNominated [34]
Writers Guild of America Awards March 21, 2021 Best Documentary Screenplay Mark Monroe and Bryan FogelWon [35]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamal Khashoggi</span> Assassinated Saudi journalist and dissident (1958–2018)

Jamal Ahmad Khashoggi was a Saudi journalist, dissident, author, columnist for Middle East Eye and The Washington Post, and a general manager and editor-in-chief of Al-Arab News Channel who was assassinated at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on 2 October 2018 by agents of the Saudi government at the behest of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bryan Fogel</span> American dramatist

Bryan Fogel is an American film director, producer, author, playwright, speaker and human rights activist, best known for the 2017 documentary Icarus, which won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature at the 90th Academy Awards in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mohammed bin Salman</span> Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia (born 1985)

Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, also known by his initials MBS or MbS, is Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia. He is the seventh son of King Salman of Saudi Arabia and grandson of the nation's founder, King Abdulaziz.

Richard Rowley is a documentary filmmaker. His films and TV shows have received three Emmy awards, an Oscar nomination, and other awards and nominations, as well as recognition at film festivals around the world.

<i>Icarus</i> (2017 film) 2017 documentary film by Bryan Fogel

Icarus is a 2017 American documentary film by Bryan Fogel. It chronicles Fogel's exploration of the option of doping to win an amateur cycling race and happening upon a major international doping scandal when he asks for the help of Grigory Rodchenkov, the head of the Russian anti-doping laboratory. It premiered at Sundance Film Festival on January 20, 2017, and was awarded the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award. Netflix acquired the distribution rights and released Icarus globally on August 4, 2017. At the 90th Academy Awards, the film won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi</span> 2018 murder in Istanbul, Turkey

On 2 October 2018, Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi dissident journalist, was killed by agents of the Saudi government at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. Khashoggi was ambushed and strangled by a 15-member squad of Saudi operatives. His body was dismembered and disposed of in some way that was never publicly revealed. The consulate had been secretly bugged by the Turkish government and Khashoggi's final moments were captured in audio recordings, transcripts of which were subsequently made public.

The Tiger Squad, officially called the Rapid Intervention Force, is a protective security unit under the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman. According to an unnamed source interviewed by the London-based online news outlet Middle East Eye following the assassination of Jamal Khashoggi in October 2018 and a BBC source inside Saudi Arabia who has a relative in the squad, it is a Saudi team that consists of approximately fifty Saudi officers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saud al-Qahtani</span> Saudi Arabian consultant and former royal court advisor

Saud bin Abdullah al-Qahtani is a Saudi Arabian consultant and former royal court advisor. Prior to his dismissal in late 2018, he worked as an advisor to King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and crown prince Mohammed bin Salman.

<i>On the Record</i> (film) 2020 documentary film

On the Record is a 2020 American documentary film directed by Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering. It centers on allegations of sexual abuse and harassment against hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons. Executive producer Oprah Winfrey publicly withdrew from the film shortly before it was released, citing "creative differences", severing a production deal with Apple TV+. The film premiered at Sundance on January 25, 2020, and was acquired by HBO Max, which released it digitally on May 27, 2020.

<i>Dick Johnson Is Dead</i> 2020 documentary film by Kirsten Johnson

Dick Johnson Is Dead is a 2020 American documentary film directed by Kirsten Johnson and co-written by Johnson and Nels Bangerter. The story focuses on Johnson's father Richard, who suffers from dementia, portraying different ways—some of them violent "accidents"—in which he could ultimately die. In each scenario, the elderly Johnson plays along with his daughter's black humor and imaginative fantasies. The film premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Special Jury Award for Innovation in Non-fiction Storytelling. It was released on Netflix on October 2, 2020.

Omar Abdulaziz Al-Zahrani is a Saudi Arabian dissident video blogger and activist living in exile in Montreal, Canada. He was close friends and worked with Jamal Khashoggi, as recounted in the film The Dissident (2020). He is a member of the National Assembly Party.

<i>The Truffle Hunters</i> 2020 documentary film directed by Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw

The Truffle Hunters is a 2020 documentary film directed and produced by Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw. It follows a group of aging men hunting in the woods, for a prized quarry, the Alba truffle. Luca Guadagnino serves as an executive producer under his Frenesy Film Company banner.

City So Real is an American documentary miniseries directed by Steve James, revolving around the 2019 mayoral election in Chicago, Illinois, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and social upheaval following the murder of George Floyd. It consists of 5 episodes and premiered on October 29, 2020, on National Geographic.

<i>Assassins</i> (2020 film) 2020 American film

Assassins is a 2020 American documentary film, directed and produced by Ryan White. It talks about the assassination of Kim Jong-nam and the two assassins who were tricked.

<i>Be Water</i> 2020 American documentary film

Be Water is a documentary film that premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and is directed by Bao Nguyen. It is about Bruce Lee, a famous martial artist. It uses significant amounts of archival footage, and focuses on Lee's two years in Hong Kong spent filming four feature films. Reviewers think it is a compelling film. It is part of ESPN's 30 for 30 documentary series and the film tackles racism in America. In a GQ interview, Nguyen talks about how this film represents protest and fits the zeitgeist, with many more Asian-American films being released as contemporaries. As of February 19, 2021, it is on Netflix. It won the Gold List Award in 2021.

Into the Deep is a Danish documentary film that premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2020. It was directed by Emma Sullivan and filmed in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was planned to be released on Netflix, but the release was postponed indefinitely when some participants stated that they had not given their consent to participate in the film. Before a subsequent release, Netflix, Plus Pictures and Sullivan agreed to re-edit the film to remove those participants who did not wish to appear. It was released globally on September 30, 2022.

<i>In the Same Breath</i> 2021 documentary film by Nanfu Wang

In the Same Breath is a 2021 documentary film directed and produced by Nanfu Wang. It follows how the Chinese and American governments reacted to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Bees Army or Geish al-Nahl, also called the "Electronic Bees", refers to an opposition movement aimed at confronting what the movement describes as Saudi Arabian government propaganda. The movement consisted of 600 members as of 2018 and was supported by Jamal Khashoggi, who was assassinated by agents of the Saudi government. In May 2021, the Saudi Arabian authorities commenced an arrest campaign to detain the people whom were claimed to be the members of the movement.

<i>Navalny</i> (film) 2022 American film

Navalny is a 2022 American documentary film directed by Daniel Roher. The film revolves around Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and events related to his poisoning. It was produced by HBO Max and CNN Films. The film premiered on January 25, 2022 at the Sundance Film Festival, where it received critical and audience acclaim and won the Audience Award in the US Documentary competition and the Festival Favorite Award. It also won the Best Documentary Feature at the 95th Academy Awards, won the award for Best Political Documentary at the 7th Critics' Choice Documentary Awards and picked up best documentary at the 76th BAFTA awards ceremony.

Saudi Runaway is an 2020 Swiss documentary film, directed and written by Susanne Regina Meures. The film shows a young woman in Saudi Arabia filming herself as she attempts to flee before her arranged wedding. It was bought by National Geographic.

References

  1. ↑ "The Dissident". Sundance Film Festival . Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  2. ↑ "The Dissident (2020)". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Amazon faces angering Saudi Arabia if it hosts new film about Khashoggi murder". inews.co.uk. 29 January 2020. Retrieved 2020-02-22.
  4. ↑ Zeitchik, Steven. "A Jamal Khashoggi documentary could take the film world — and U.S.-Saudi relations — by storm". Washington Post. Retrieved 2020-02-22.
  5. ↑ Thorpe, Vanessa (22 February 2020). "Powerful new Khashoggi film hits its mark … but will audiences get to see it?". The Observer. ISSN   0029-7712 . Retrieved 2020-02-22– via www.theguardian.com.
  6. ↑ "The Dissident: Jamal Khashoggi documentary points finger at Saudi Arabia's crown prince". BBC News. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  7. ↑ "Jamal Khashoggi: US says Saudi prince approved Khashoggi killing". BBC News. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  8. ↑ "The Dissident: Jamal Khashoggi documentary points finger at Saudi Arabia's crown prince". BBC News. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  9. ↑ Siegel, Tatiana (December 4, 2019). "Sundance Unveils Female-Powered Lineup Featuring Taylor Swift, Gloria Steinem, Abortion Road Trip Drama". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  10. ↑ Fleming, Mike Jr. (September 2, 2020). "Briarcliff Acquires U.S. On 'The Dissident;' Late 2020 Release To Commemorate 2nd Anniversary Of Jamal Khashoggi Murder In Saudi Consulate". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  11. ↑ "The Dissident". Briarcliff Entertainment. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  12. ↑ Sperling, Nicole (2020-12-24). "An Oscar Winner Made a Khashoggi Documentary. Streaming Services Didn't Want It". The New York Times. Retrieved 2020-12-26.
  13. ↑ Kilkenny, Katie (2020-12-23). "Bryan Fogel on Hollywood Reticence to Distribute 'The Dissident' and Companies Looking "the Other Way" on Human Rights Abuses". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  14. ↑ "The Dissident: Jamal Khashoggi documentary points finger at Saudi Arabia's crown prince". BBC News. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  15. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (January 17, 2021). "Open Road's Liam Neeson Pic 'The Marksman' Takes $3.7M At MLK Weekend Box Office". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  16. ↑ Brueggemann, Tom (January 11, 2021). "A Reduced-Price 'Tenet' and PVOD Debut 'Fatale' Stand Out in Home Viewing". IndieWire . Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  17. ↑ "The Dissident (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango . Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  18. ↑ "The Dissident Reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  19. ↑ Kaufman, Anthony. "'The Dissident': Sundance Review". Screen. Retrieved 2020-02-22.
  20. ↑ "'The Dissident': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. 24 January 2020. Retrieved 2020-02-22.
  21. ↑ Gleiberman, Owen (25 January 2020). "'The Dissident': Film Review" . Retrieved 2020-02-22.
  22. ↑ Fahim, Joseph (2020-11-16). "Jamal Khashoggi films: Trying to separate the man and the martyr". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 2021-04-08.
  23. ↑ "Khashoggi murder film 'The Dissident' targeted by suspicious negative reviews". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 2021-02-08.
  24. ↑ Zeitchik, Steven. "An alleged Saudi troll campaign is targeting a movie about the murder of Jamal Khashoggi". Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved 2021-02-08.
  25. ↑ Hipes, Patrick (March 11, 2021). "ACE Eddie Awards Nominations Include Sound Of Metal, Borat And Minari, Ted Lasso And Hamilton". Deadline. Retrieved February 28, 2022.
  26. ↑ "2021 EE British Academy Film Awards: The Winners". British Academy of Film and Television Arts . Retrieved February 28, 2022.
  27. ↑ Thompson, Anne (December 10, 2020). "Time Leads Influential Cinema Eye Honors Documentary Nominations". IndieWire. Retrieved February 28, 2022.
  28. ↑ "Cinema for Peace Awards 2021". Cinema for Peace Foundation . Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  29. ↑ Jorgenson, Todd (February 10, 2020). "DFW Film Critics Name Nomadland Best Picture of 2020". Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association . Retrieved February 28, 2022.
  30. ↑ Jorgenson, Todd. "Detroit Film Critics Society Announces 2020 Nominations". Detroit Film Critics Society . Retrieved February 28, 2022.
  31. ↑ Abbatescianni, Davide (March 15, 2021). "The Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival announces its award winners". Cineuropa. Retrieved February 28, 2022.
  32. ↑ "Documentary on death of Jamal Khashoggi wins human rights award". Irish Council for Civil Liberties. March 9, 2021. Retrieved February 28, 2022.
  33. ↑ Sonenreich, Brooke. "Georgia Film Critics Association Announces Nominations for 2020 Year in Film". Oz Magazine. Retrieved February 28, 2022.
  34. ↑ "2020 Winners". International Press Academy . Retrieved February 28, 2022.
  35. ↑ Lewis, Hilary; Kit, Borys (March 21, 2021). "WGA Awards: Promising Young Woman Wins Original Screenplay, Borat 2 Takes Adapted Prize". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 28, 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.