'Citizenfour' Oscar Is Latest Honor For Snowden Journalists

[Purveyor]

By Afp

Published: 23:32 EST, 22 February 2015 | Updated: 23:32 EST, 22 February 2015

The best documentary Oscar awarded to "Citizenfour" is the latest in a string of accolades for the journalists who brought to light the trove of classified documents leaked by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.

The film directed and produced by Laura Poitras reveals how she worked with other reporters to lift the lid on the sweeping surveillance programs of the US National Security Agency and other intelligence services -- revelations which shocked many in America and around the world.

"The most important decisions being made affecting all of us are made in secret. We lose our ability to check the powers that control," Poitras said Sunday as she accepted the award at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, with journalist Glenn Greenwald at her side.


Winners for Best Documentary Feature "CitizenFour" Laura Poitras (C) and Dirk Wilutzky (L) give their acceptance speech flanked by journalist Glenn Greenwald at the 87th Oscars February 22, 2015 in Hollywood, California ©Robyn Beck (AFP)

"Thank you to Edward Snowden for his courage and for the many other whistleblowers, and I share this with other journalists who are exposing truth."

Snowden said in a statement released to the American Civil Liberties Union that he hoped people seeing the film would "be inspired by its message that ordinary citizens, working together, can change the world."

more...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/afp/article-2964765/Snowden-film-Citizenfour-wins-best-documentary-Oscar.html

[JaneyVee]

1. Good documentary. Snowden's girlfriend was on stage too.

The picture above cuts her off.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

7. Wait. The pole-dancing ballerina he so cruelly treated?

My goodness.

[uhnope]

28. Did anybody catch the "Edward Snowden couldn't be here for some (t)reason"

line by Neil Patrick Harris? Awesome

[Autumn]

2. Very satisfying, all the way around.

Rec

[Aerows]

4. Indeed it is :)

[Autumn]

6. I think we all won tonight.

[marym625]

3. so very glad this won

It speaks volumes, in my opinion

[cui bono]

12. Sadly, the wingers will just blame it on "liberal Hollywood" voting for it.

Even in the pre-show on ABC some idiot "reporter" was speculating on who would win and said something like he didn't know if "liberal Hollywood" would vote for American Sniper.

[marym625]

14. Haha!

I knew as soon as Sean Penn was the presenter for best picture that there was no way American Sniper would win.

I have to laugh at people who blame "liberal Hollywood" for the winners of the Oscars. There are too many conservatives in Hollywood anymore. Citizen Four won because it is an excellent documentary.

I also don't understand the party that claims to be against "big government" thinking Snowden is a traitor. That's big government at its finest. Though we have people here that are really pissed it won and that Glenn Greenwald was on the stage. .

[Octafish]

30. Well stated.

[font color="blue"]I also don't understand the party that claims to be against "big government" thinking Snowden is a traitor. That's big government at its finest.[/font color]

[marym625]

31. Thanks

Just makes no sense to me. But they never do

[bigwillq]

5. Awesome.

K and R

[snot]

8. K&R'd!

For anyone interested, here's the Guardian's account: http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/feb/23/edward-snowden-documentary-citizenfour-wins-oscar .

[Luminous Animal]

20. Thank you, snot. (I so love your user name.)

[snot]

29. thank you. 'fraid it's not very strategic;

but at least metaphorically appropriate.

Snot fears nothing and no one. It simply drips when and where it must.

[nilram]

22. haha, definitely a slick user name

(also k&r to the OP).

[SixString]

9. K&R!!

[Rex]

10. You need to put a warning in your OP. Someone here already had an epic meltdown

just HEARING about GG holding an Oscar.

Or not.

[cui bono]

13. I thought the same thing when I saw there was a pic.

[WillyT]

11. K & R !!!

[xocet]

15. K & R! n/t

[sabrina 1]

16. It was a surprise, Snowden documentary wins and American Sniper loses. I expected the opposite.

I am so glad to see that they haven't managed to control everything yet.

The truth will always come out. It may take time, but sooner or later, it happens.

[deurbano]

17. K & R!

[pa28]

18. Big congrats to them all.

Those who spend strange amounts of their own free time vilifying Ed Snowden just went a little further toward the wrong side of history.

[xiamiam]

19. cant begin to even say how pleased I am with this award

wrong side of history indeed

[herding cats]

21. I still haven't seen it.

It shouldn't be too much longer before I get access to it now.

[kas125]

24. There are a couple links where you can watch it online.

PM me if you want me to send them to you.

[ReRe]

23. K&R

Thanks for posting this! I was thrilled when they announced "Citizen Four" for best Doc.

[2banon]

25. Awesome K&R I'm also REALLY glad American Sniper didn't. I heard they got 'best sound' or something

I don't watch the oscars but I like to check in on film titles etc.

I can just see our authoritarian boot lickers about to swarm this op soon,

cuz you know....GREENWALD! (LOL!)

[Ichingcarpenter]

26. K & R!

[uhnope]

27. "Edward Snowden couldn't be here for some (t)reason."

Epic takedown off the cuff by host Neil Patrick Harris, putting words to what most of us felt