The Trust Fall: Julian Assange

"The Trust Fall" is a documentary written and directed by Kym Straton chronicling the 'trials' of Julian Assange from his time at Melbourne Uni to his present incarceration at Belmarsh Prison, London. It is presented as he fights extradition to USA for publishing classified information embarrassing to the US government about various episodes in the overseas wars of the US Empire. In particular there is a confronting helicopter video, called Collateral Murder, showing the slaughter of innocent civilians and photographers in Iraq.

There is discussion of the role of the press and numerous interviews of supporters and observers including the late John Pilger, Daniel Ellsberg and Tariq Ali. Much is made from the US side that he is not a "journalist", I think hair splitting. I would consider Journalism within his job description and while there may be a mix of drives within us, I think he did feel this stuff should be "out". The documentary is about and for Assange -and this must be taken into account. Reading 'around' there are some contrary views. However noting the strong support from Daniel Ellsberg, who I have tremendous respect for and ditto others like Tariq Ali, I came away with more sympathy for the subject and feel he is being badly treated. Whatever you decide, he has been punished enough! Julian's wife is eloquent and passionate. The various leaders of the involved major countries do not look that good in this.

As a doco it is a bit long and too venerating, particularly at the end where it soars away. I expected Julian to change water into wine. But the film is interesting, informative and topical. A lot of good work has gone into it. See it! Make up your own mind. Come November the freedom of the Press may be even more important.

The bravest of men could do no other than to pass on the truth as given to him. The fact that the truth is ugly and implicates so many who represent us and our assumption that they will do the right thing on our behalf made it all the more vital that Julian Assange share what he was given. It was up to him to take the terrible risk to himself - it's up to us to protest his fate to the point of deafening.

This film is a towering achievement, a truly inspired production, equal to the best of documentaries and all the more remarkable that this is Kym Staton and his team's first documentary, driven as he was by what is really at stake: democracy and freedom of speech.

Be tearful, be angry and be determined.

You will be all three if you see this film.

An enlightening and confronting documentary about the last bastion in the flight for independant journalistic freedom. PLEASE watch this movie! One of the most significant realisation I had watching this was how complicit the Unighted Kingdom and australian governments are being in relation to the Trumped up charges against Julian Assange by the United Staes of America and the lack of due legal process being followed by the USA as the hunt him on a purely political agenda. This story highlights that the USA government doesnt seem to follw its own laws or constitution. They have been exposed and embarrased so outwardly that they wont stop at anything until Julian is killed or locked up indefinately.

Visceral, informative and one of the very rare documentary that shows that we live in a full blown theater where everything is a pretense and an act of deception. Only when you are truly faced with the system you can witness and expose that there are no justice and no laws for the people who fight for other people and justice.

I truly believe that what happened to Julian would happen to anyone standing in the way of absolute control. Julian knew the possible consequences. To me a he is modern Moses. That courage he once made a quote about is rarer than the rarest materials on this earth when you look for it in a man.

There is probably nothing in this film that you don't know from following his story in the press but it does pull it all together and highlights the vindictiveness , spitefulness and underhandedness of the American government secret services (CIA) . It also reveals how subservient many western governments are to the Americans. The contributors to the film are stellar representatives of free journalism and weave a compelling case for ceasing the hounding of Assange.

I agree with the previous review that it was overlong and could have done without the overdone verbiage of the last 10 minutes or so. It is well worth watching though and may leave you concerned for the future of a free press and by extension free and fair governments.