14 DAY TRIAL // WikiLeaks is getting particularly aggressive when it comes to its “The Fifth Estate” rhetoric. They’ve slammed the movie on numerous occasions, claiming it was inaccurate and purposefully harmful to the organization.
Most recently, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange sent out an open letter to British actor Benedict Cumberbatch, who portrays Assange in the movie. While he praised the actor’s talents, he slammed Cumberbatch’s involvement with the movie and turned down an invitation to meet face-to-face.
The letter that was just leaked actually dates back to January 15, 2013. Assange tells the actor he’s fond of his previous work and that he would most likely enjoy meeting him, but he should drop the movie since he didn’t believe it would be positive for him or WikiLeaks.
“I know the film intends to depict me and my work in a negative light. I believe it will distort events and subtract from public understanding. It does not seek to simplify, clarify or distil the truth, but rather it seeks to bury it. It will resurrect and amplify defamatory stories which were long ago shown to be false," Assange told Cumberbatch.
Over the past several months, WikiLeaks has systematically slammed the movie and the US agenda against the organization.
And while it might be true the US does have something to gain from portraying Assange and WikiLeaks in a negative light, “The Fifth Estate” is not a documentary.
The movie does follow the actions undertaken by Assange and his team before some of the biggest leaks in the history of the United States, which ultimately landed Chelsea Manning, formerly Bradley Manning, into prison for decades, but it doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be 100 percent accurate.
The attitude WikiLeaks has had is understandable, but perhaps a bit extreme.