Citizenfour (2014)

Citizenfour (2014) is a tense, intimate documentary that chronicles how filmmaker Laura Poitras, journalist Glenn Greenwald, and others rendezvous with Edward Snowden in Hong Kong after receiving encrypted messages from an anonymous source claiming proof of massive, covert global surveillance programs run by the NSA. What begins as a journalistic investigation quickly becomes a high-stakes drama captured in real time: secret meetings, whispered conversations, frantic legal consultations, and the revelation of classified documents that expose how governments collect and monitor citizens’ communications. Watching the film, you’ll feel like you’re in the room—immersed in close-up interviews, late-night discussions, and the nervous energy of people weighing risk, ethics, and public interest. The documentary combines raw, observational footage with reporting and context, delivering both the factual shock of Snowden’s disclosures and the human tension of those who dared to publish them. Expect clarity on complex surveillance mechanisms, uncomfortable questions about privacy and power, and a gripping sense of history unfolding before your eyes. This is essential viewing for anyone interested in journalism, civil liberties, and modern state secrecy.

Actors: Edward Snowden, Glenn Greenwald, William Binney

Director: Laura Poitras

Runtime: 114 min

Genres: Biography, Documentary, History

7.2 /10 88 /100 8.0 /10 8.0 /10