Julian Assange may be free now, but the WikiLeaks founder won’t find himself on the big screen at next month’s Sundance Film Festival after all.
Just under two weeks after the Robert Redford created snowy shindig unveiled the bulk of its 2025 program, the Assange-centric documentary The Six Billion Dollar Man has suddenly pulled from the festival. Directed by two-time Sundance Grand Jury winner Eugene Jarecki, the Kathleen Fournier produced SBDM was supposed to have its World Premiere with a special screening in Park City during the
With rumors swirling of some sort of controversy enveloping the film about the controversial Assange, Jarecki spoke out today on the matter
“The truth is, significant recent and unexpected developments have emerged at the heart of the story which, if not incorporated in the version for Sundance, would not represent a finished film,” the director says. “Sundance has shaped my career and been a cornerstone of my journey—only something of this magnitude could make me withdraw.”
Reps for the Emmy and Peabody Award wining Jarecki did not respond to request for more information on the said “significant recent and unexpected developments” that caused SBDM to exit Sundance 2025. If they do, this post will be updated.
Sundance special screenings are cited as “one-of-a-kind moments highlight new independent works that add to the unique Festival experience.” Specifically, the info for the now SFF absent docu runs as follows: The Six Billion Dollar Man / U.S.A. (Director: Eugene Jarecki, Producer: Kathleen Fournier) — Julian Assange faced a possible 175 years in prison for exposing U.S. war crimes until events took a turn in this landmark case. World Premiere. Documentary. Available online for Public.
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