By Tony Hopp

A screening of Citizenfour (dir. Laura Poitras), followed by a post-screening conversation, will be held at FilmScene on Thursday, March 7th from 3:30-6pm as a part of their Women’s March lineup. This film is the third in Poitras’ trilogy on post 9/11 America and it focuses on Edward Snowden. Snowden worked at the NSA and began to understand that metadata was being collected on the majority of American citizens and that the collection of data was, and still is, increasing. Poitras gives us an inside look into how Snowden began his infamous intelligence leak by putting herself in the ever-scanning eye of the American government. Throughout this well crafted documentary, you may feel yourself held on the edge of your seat in suspense, waiting for a solution. However, reality prevails in this film and we come to an understanding of what the crew making this film sacrificed in order for this information to reach the general public.

From the moment we meet Edward Snowden, he is keen on not letting his personality overshadow the conspiracy he has uncovered, but Poitras manages to make her audience feel attached to this story’s protagonist. Although we know little about this man, we understand that he is willing to put the needs of every American citizen before his own. It is through Poitras’ decision to utilize the talking head interview format that we come to understand how Snowden thinks and, thus, grow close to him. We are concerned when his house is surrounded by presumably government operatives and we are saddened by his inability to see his family and friends again, but we never learn his girlfriend’s name or if he has children. The emotional pull of the piece is due to the shots Laura Poitras holds, allowing us to see Snowden’s emotions that his face is unable to hide.

Citizenfour tells the story of a pivotal moment in American history. Snowden showed us that Big Brother is a very real entity in the NSA and that they have enough information on each one of us to create a brief profile. This violation of our privacy should be known by each individual in order to protect ourselves from our own government. Be wary, this film may cause paranoia. I covered my computer’s webcam with a post-it note as soon as the credits began to roll. However, this film holds value in the education it provides, as well as the insight into the man who brought this conspiracy forward. It frames Snowden the way it seems he wanted to be framed: as a modest hero. A hero that was willing to risk his way of life, but never really wanted the glory and pageantry of his sacrifice. He was just a man following his civic duty. Snowden was, and is, a True American.