reality: a movie about a female whistleblower
So here I am again, inspired about something I saw and in the mood for sharing. This passed weekend I took myself on a date, something I rarely do (reminder to self to do more often), and almost forgot about how freeing and refreshing it feels to make fun with no one other than yourself. It was rainy that day so I decided to go watch a movie at a very authentic movie theatre, one where they bring the snacks and bottles to your seat, what a treat! When decided which movie I wanted to see I came across a semi documentary called Reality. The movie description caught my eye: a young female who’s Instagram is full of gymselfies but side note, also, she leaks a FBI document about Russian interference in the American elections of 2016. A statement that hadden’t been proved yet.
The movie begins with a scene where Reality Winner, played by Sydney Sweeney is in her office. On the background we hear the news of Donald Trump and the 16’ elections. Reality doesn’t watch the news but is busy screening something for her computer. With just co worker left at the hour of day in the office she secretly prints out document, which she later folds in half and puts down her panties.
In the next scene we see Reality in front of her house when a couple of black cars come and some man step out. The next almost half hour we see Reality chatting with those men. First casually, slowly more and more specific. The dialoge Reality and the men have is one of the longest dialogues I ever watched. It quite an achievement portraying such a dialogue without the viewer getting bored. And that is because everything that is being said is in fact happend. Reality is the reality. The real recordings of the investigation is played every now and than, followed by the film scripted conversation. In more than three hours the men manage to get Reality to confess: yes she leaked a document she found important enough to share with the world.
Later on we get to know Reality more through the objects laying around in her house: a cross fit weight, the holy quran and her graduation picture. Reality seems a highly ambitious women who after getting her diploma realizes the roof is not that high. Working for the company she works for isn’t very usefull in her opinion. “I didn’t do this study to not be of use’'. ‘‘America is the worst thing that happened to the world’'.
She claims not to want to be a Snowden, and she is not: she isn’t highly known for her bravery. She is a 27 year old intelligent woman who did what she thought to be usefull: share important information with a newspaper. And she paid a high price for it: 7 years in jail.
The story of Reality Winner inspired me to see how the bravery of policy makers can be of great use. There are people in this world that give their life or significant years of their lives for the cause of a better and more human policy. Western journalists or policy makers that have a wider spread and learn that there is another perspective than the Western one will hit hard wall, I can only imagine. If that hit was so hard they decide to take a risk for the greater good, that in my eyes, is a very brave thing to do.
While writing this I realize there must be many more whistlebolwers. Maybe it’s time for me to invest this topic a litle more. For now: know her name as well: Reality Winner.
