The Six Billion Dollar Man: Julian Assange and the Price of Truth is a blistering, essential documentary that forces us to look – really look – at power, war, and the astonishing cost of telling the truth.
Eugene Jarecki’s The Six Billion Dollar Man: Julian Assange and the Price of Truth arrives in cinemas on 19 December, and it does so not quietly, but with the force of a moral earthquake. Winner of both the L’Oeil d’Or Prize at Cannes and the first-ever Golden Globe Award for Documentary, this is not merely a film – it is a reckoning.
For two hours, Jarecki stitches together a vast mosaic of politics, espionage, leaked military files, and the anatomy of a global smear machine. But at its heart lies one bruised, stubborn, uncompromising figure: Julian Assange, whose work with WikiLeaks exposed the darkest corners of modern warfare and triggered one of the most aggressive international campaigns ever waged against a publisher.
My reaction: unexpectedly emotional – painfully so
Watching the film, I have to admit something I didn’t expect to feel so strongly again: I had moments of real tears.
I campaigned to support Julian during the years when he was hidden away, confined, silenced and effectively tortured – all for what? For committing journalism. For revealing uncomfortable truths that powerful governments desperately wanted buried.
Seeing what he endured, reliving those early years when we fought for his freedom, the film felt like reopening an old wound – but also a reminder of why that struggle mattered so deeply.
Check my other article about another documentary The Trust Fall that tells a lot more about Julian Assange released in the middle of the campaign to free Assange a few months before he was released from prison:
A film politicians may find rather… inconvenient
This documentary is not a cosy festive watch. Politicians who once claimed Assange was a criminal may find its thorough, forensically constructed evidence distinctly awkward. It is, frankly, inconvenient for anyone who still clings to the narrative that transparency is a threat, or that war crimes exposed on camera are somehow less offensive than the act of showing them.
The footage that changed history – and shook the world
The most harrowing sequences revisit the infamous leaked videos of US military operations – drone strikes and helicopter attacks where civilians are gunned down with a coldness that is utterly chilling. You hear soldiers laughing during killings, commenting with the same detachment someone might use while playing Call of Duty or Medal of Honor. The line between warfare and gaming becomes terrifyingly thin, exposing a culture where life and death are treated as entertainment.
The documentary forces you to confront this brutality head-on. No filters. No euphemisms. No political spin.
And that is precisely why Assange was punished so severely.
A real-life political thriller – except nobody gets to walk away
Jarecki presents the Assange saga like a real-world spy thriller, populated by whistleblowers (Edward Snowden), human rights experts (Nils Melzer), political figures, lawyers, celebrities, and of course Assange’s wife, Stella — whose presence adds humanity to a narrative too often stripped of it.
But this isn’t fiction. There is no neat resolution. Only the stark truth about what happens when the press fulfils its duty too well.
What this film really exposes
Yes, it tells the story of Assange.
But more importantly, it tells our story.
It shows:
- how governments manipulate narratives
- how wars are sold to citizens
- how the press is targeted when it becomes inconvenient
- how public freedoms can quietly erode while most people assume someone else is watching
As the film makes painfully clear: no freedom is automatic; every freedom requires vigilance.
And if we don’t protect freedom of speech – the freedom Assange embodied – we risk losing far more than we realise.
A cautionary tale for the entire world
Jarecki himself calls the film “an urgent cautionary tale about what is happening to all of us right now.”
He isn’t exaggerating.
In an era of misinformation, censorship, and political spin, The Six Billion Dollar Man is a reminder that the truth is fragile – and those who expose it are often the first to be destroyed.
Final verdict
Bold, devastating, meticulously researched and morally unflinching, this film is essential viewing for anyone who cares about journalism, justice, or the future of democratic freedom.
It is also a sobering tribute to a man who sacrificed his liberty – fourteen long years of it – so that the public could see what is really done in their name.
You may leave the cinema shaken.
You may leave angry.
You may leave inspired.
But you certainly won’t leave unchanged.
THE SIX BILLION DOLLAR MAN: Julian Assange and the Price of Truth
In UK & Irish Cinemas 19 December 2025.
More information: https://www.thesixbilliondollarman.com/
The trailer
Lady Rantingham: The unconventional Voice with a bit of sass
Meet Lady Rantingham, a witty and rebellious spirit who brings a fresh twist to the “Rant” theme. While her name might evoke a touch of aristocracy, she’s anything but conventional. With a playful, humorous tone and a slight air of authority, Lady Runtingham is here to run riot on just about anything – especially the things that bother her.
Whether it’s the little annoyances of everyday life or the larger absurdities of the world around her, Lady Runtingham isn’t afraid to call out what grinds her gears. Her rants are filled with sharp wit, unfiltered thoughts, and an unapologetic perspective that blends rebellion with a dash of humour.
Her commentary goes beyond just mockery; she touches on everything from societal quirks to the frustrating intricacies of modern life, all while maintaining a sense of lighthearted authority. Lady Runtingham isn’t just runting about the monarchy — she’s ranting about anything that makes her roll her eyes.
