Julian Assange Won’t Debut at Sundance Film Festival 2025
Just under two weeks after the Sundance Film Festival unveiled its program, a documentary about WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, “The Six Billion Dollar Man,” has withdrawn from the festival. The film was scheduled to have its world premiere at the festival, which runs from January 23 to February 2.
The withdrawal comes as no surprise, given the controversy surrounding Assange, who faced 175 years in prison and extradition to the US for leaking classified information about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, in June, he struck a deal with the Justice Department, pleading guilty to one count of illegally disseminating national security material in exchange for his freedom.
Director Eugene Jarecki, a two-time Sundance Grand Jury winner, explained the withdrawal, citing “significant recent and unexpected developments” that would not represent a finished film without being incorporated into the story. Reps for Jarecki did not provide further information on the nature of these developments.
The documentary, produced by Kathleen Fournier, was initially announced as a Sundance special screening, with a description highlighting Assange’s case: “Julian Assange faced a possible 175 years in prison for exposing U.S. war crimes until events took a turn in this landmark case.” The film’s world premiere is now cancelled, leaving fans and industry professionals wondering what changes drove its removal from the festival.
