Award winning director of films, “Born on the Fourth of July” and “JFK,” Oliver Stone, tackles one of the most important and captivating stories of the 21st century in “Snowden.” This film is a politically charged, paranoia-inducing thriller starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt. “Snowden” reveals the personal story behind the reveal of NSA’s shocking surveillance activities.
In June 2013, Edward Snowden left his job with a NSA facility in Hawaii and arranged to meet with journalists in Hong Kong to release thousands of classified documents he collected over the years. These classified documents reveled the NSA and CIA, have the ability to track and keep tabs on anyone in the world through technology they developed. These actions were hidden from the law, the public and judgment of any public court. Snowden has been on the run in Hong Kong, Moscow and an undisclosed location in Russia, since June 2013.
To some Snowden is a hero and a patriot, seeking to uphold American democratic ideals by keeping the public informed. To the United States government, he is a traitor facing charges under the Espionage Act. No matter which side you fall on, the story of what he did, why he did it, how he pulled it off makes “Snowden” one of the best films of 2016.