MOVIE REVIEW: Rosewater (2014)

Written for the screen by Jon Stewart, 'Rosewater' is a movie set in Iran about the ever present danger of an unaccountable government.

While this movie focuses on the Iranian government, it also reflects back on the Australian, American, New Zealand and British governments. While the Australian government champions freedom of the press around the world, celebrating the release of journalist Peter Gresta, they simultaneously subvert liberties and silence dissent. No more is this obvious than in the recently passed legislation that criminalises journalists, for 10 years, who publish “special intelligence operations”.

Most governments would like you to believe the threat to democracy is some far off distant concept, but it couldn't be further from the truth. No politician has been held accountable for the illegal invasion of Iraq and subsequent deaths of thousands, tens of thousands of innocent people. No politician has been held accountable for torture in GITMO. No politician has been help accountable for the ubiquitous surveillance unleashed by the NSA and five eyes which Australia is privy too.

Soon after the Edward Snowden revelations surfaced, Glenn Greenwald (then guardian journalist) and Laura Poitras (documentary & film producer) avoided traveling to the US for uncertainty about whether the US government would arrest them.

While we criticise governments that criminalise innocent people like Peter Greste and Maziar Bahari. We don't criticise governments that criminalise equally innocent people like Chelsey Manning and Edward Snowden. Why is that? Why are journalists and whistle blowers the same? The biggest threat to Egypt are journalists that report corruption, while the biggest threat to the U.S. are whistle blowers that expose corruption.

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Many people may know Jon Stewart as the American comedian of 'The Daily Show'. So it was interesting to see him take a short break from his show to work with Maziar Bahari on the movie.

I think Jon Stewarts passion to do the movie becomes obvious when you know his friend and fellow Egyptian comedian - Bassem Youssef - only recently faced crimes by the government for insulting the President and Islam. As Jon Stewart points out, if insulting the President and Island was a crime in America, "Fox News goes bye bye".



A major concern in Australia is our almost blaze approach to privacy. The "I have nothing to hide" argument - while incredibly stupid - is fueled by selfish propaganda. This understanding that all politicians are sincere is a gross simplification. The most sincere person you'll ever meet is the maniac chasing you down the street with an ax, trying to chop your head off. 

Maybe 'you' have nothing to hide, so why does a government need access to your emails, or internet history? Maybe 'you' have nothing to hide, but what about human rights lawyers? Maybe 'you' have nothing to hide, but what about public servants who whistle blow on political corruption? Maybe you have nothing to hide, but what about people living in Iran?

If democratic governments supports democratic principles, we need a bill of rights? Otherwise they are a shell without a body. It is a question we must ask ourselves. If we think freedom of the press is important, why is it not enshrined in law? Why don't we have a federal anti-corruption watchdog to penalise politicians that ignore democratic principles?

As Glenn Greenwald points out in his latest book 'No Place to Hide', "Transparency is for those who carry out public duties and exercise public power. Privacy is for everyone else" and he is spot on.

Post by Citizenfour.