Details

Release year: 2016

Storyline

The NSA's illegal surveillance techniques are leaked to the public by one of the agency's employees, Edward Snowden, in the form of thousands of classified documents distributed to the press.

Top credits

Directors

Oliver Stone

Writers

Cast

Joseph Gordon-Levitt — Edward Snowden
Shailene Woodley — Lindsay Mills
Melissa Leo — Laura Poitras
Zachary Quinto — Glenn Greenwald

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Did you know

• During a surprise appearance via Google Hangout following the film's first screening at Comic Con 2016, the real Edward Snowden joked: "I don't think anybody looks forward to having a movie made about themselves, particularly someone who is a privacy advocate" but stated he approved of the film, calling it a "pretty accurate portrayal." The largest departures from real life seem to be the character of O'Brian, played by Rhys Ifans, who was a composite of a few people and not an actual individual, the depiction of Lindsay Mills being aware of Snowden's plans and the portrayal of Snowden using a Rubik's Cube to smuggle out data. In reality, it is unknown how he removed the data from the NSA.

• To make sure the screenplay was not hacked or leaked, Oliver Stone wrote the script on a single computer with no Internet connection.

• Oliver Stone visited the real Edward Snowden after filming wrapped and showed him a work-in-progress cut of the film.