Eugene Jarecki Withdraws Assange Documentary from Sundance

Eugene Jarecki has withdrawn his documentary, The Six Billion Dollar Man, from the 2025 Sundance Film Festival citing 'significant recent and unexpected developments' in Julian Assange's story that necessitate a re-evaluation of the film's content. Jarecki expressed his regret, emphasizing that the documentary must accurately reflect the evolving narrative surrounding Assange, who recently struck a plea deal that allowed him to avoid extradition to the U.S. after serving five years in a UK prison. The film was set to premiere as a Special Screening at the festival, which runs from January 23 to February 2, 2025. Jarecki, a two-time Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner, stated that only developments of this magnitude could prompt such a significant decision. The specifics of the developments remain undisclosed, but they are deemed crucial for the documentary's completeness. Assange's case has garnered attention due to his potential 175-year prison sentence for publishing classified U.S. documents, highlighting ongoing debates over press freedom and government transparency.