Culture

Rating: 4/5

I have a love–hate relationship with documentaries. If they’re centred on animals, murder mysteries or food, then I love them, but if they’re on glaciers or erosion and use scientific vocabulary that isn’t easily defined for BA students like myself, then I’m not interested. However, if I’m given popcorn at the cinema and a comfortable seat to sit on, I’ll watch almost anything.

Online privacy has never really been a major issue until recently. With our world becoming more and more immersed in technology, our whole lives are now online. Citizenfour looks at online surveillance and, in particular, America’s National Security Agency (NSA). In 2013, Edward Snowden made headlines for divulging to journalists that the NSA had been collecting information on where people went, what people searched online and probably what they ate for breakfast. I wouldn’t be surprised if the NSA’s theme song is “I Will Follow Him” by Little Peggy March.

Poitras’s documentary shows the unravelling of Snowden’s whistleblowing in real time. When we first see Snowden, he is already in Hong Kong, which is where Poitras and a few journalists, such as Glenn Greenwald, are interviewing him about the NSA’s mass surveillance. Shot in a distinct, cinéma vérité style, Citizenfour has a sterile eeriness to it that creates a tense feeling for audience members. Though, when the US government is able to pinpoint your every move, of course you’re going to feel a little bit worried, stressed and paranoid. Or maybe that’s just me.

Although the premise and overall topic of Citizenfour is enthralling and incredibly relevant, I found myself dozing off during scenes full of hefty dialogue. Those dull moments coupled with a generic documentary style did make me yearn for a film that was livelier and more colourful. However, what I learned from Citizenfour far outweighs the need for a lighter film.

If you’re sceptical about living in the digital age, or just want to watch a film that
will make you think, then I highly recommend Citizenfour.