Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, is doing much better after being released from jail last year, his wife told AFP. She spoke before the premiere of a new documentary about Assange, which shows never-before-seen footage of him.
Assange Appears at Cannes
Assange attended the Cannes Film Festival to support the documentary made by American filmmaker Eugene Jarecki. At a photo session on Tuesday, he wore a T-shirt with the names of children killed in Gaza.
Assange, who is 53 and used to be a hacker, is not speaking to the media for now. His wife, Stella Assange, said, “He’ll speak when he’s ready.”
Stella, a Spanish-Swedish lawyer, added, “We live close to nature in Australia. Julian loves being outside. He’s always been like that. He has recovered well both physically and mentally.”
Last June, Assange was released from a high-security prison in the UK. He had agreed to a deal with the US government after WikiLeaks published secret military and diplomatic files. Before that, he spent five years in jail and seven years in the Ecuadorian embassy in London to avoid being sent to the US.
About the Documentary
The documentary, The Six Billion Dollar Man, was made by award-winning director Eugene Jarecki. He said the film aims to show the real story about Assange, who remains a controversial figure.
Jarecki said, “Julian risked everything to inform the public about what governments and companies were doing in secret. Anyone who gives up years of their life for their beliefs shows a kind of heroism.”
The documentary includes personal videos shared by Stella, who first joined WikiLeaks as a legal advisor. She later had two children with Assange while he was living in the Ecuadorian embassy.
The film also includes interviews with people who spied on Assange, including a security guard who said he installed hidden microphones that were accessed by US intelligence.
Famous names such as actress Pamela Anderson, whistleblower Edward Snowden, and Australian human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson also appear in the film.
Defending Assange Against Criticism
Jarecki rejected some of the criticism Assange has faced. Some people say that by publishing unedited US documents, Assange put lives at risk, including those of informants and human rights activists.
Jarecki also denied any connection between WikiLeaks and Russian intelligence during the 2016 US election, when leaked emails hurt Hillary Clinton’s campaign. A US investigation said Russian military hackers gave the emails to WikiLeaks. But Jarecki claimed there was no real evidence linking WikiLeaks to Russia, except what Democratic Party members have said.
Support from Ecuador
Rafael Correa, the former left-wing president of Ecuador who gave Assange asylum, was expected to attend the red carpet premiere of the film.
Jarecki recently won the first-ever Golden Globe for a documentary at Cannes for his earlier film about Elvis Presley, The King (2018).
Political Themes at Cannes
This year’s Cannes Film Festival is one of the most political in recent times. Hundreds of people from the film industry have signed a letter condemning what they call a “genocide” in Gaza.
They also spoke out about the death of Fatima Hassouna, a young photojournalist from Gaza. She appears in the documentary Put Your Soul in Your Hand and Walk, which was shown at Cannes last week.
