THE DISSIDENT is an edge-of-your-seat, adrenaline-filled thriller that plays out at the highest levels of power, exposing the labyrinth of deceit behind the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Khashoggi was a principled reformer who sought to create a more open society in his homeland, and who was ultimately murdered for his vocal opposition to the Saudi government. Featuring never before seen surveillance footage and unprecedented access to a wealth of other damning information previously unavailable to the public, Fogel earned the trust of those closest to the tragedy -- Khashoggi’s fiancée Hatice Cengiz and the UN Special Rapporteur who led the inquiry into the assassination, Agnès Callamard, as well as Turkish police and prosecutors, cyber security experts, and a young Saudi activist with whom Khashoggi was secretly collaborating, Omar Abdulaziz -- to weave together this story of courage, money, power, tyranny, love, and technology run amok.
"As we approach the second anniversary of Jamal's death with no official repudiation, my hope is that this film will enshrine his memory as well as ensure that justice is served, and that our society no longer turns a blind eye to the brutal human rights violations committed by the Saudi regime,” says THE DISSIDENT director Bryan Fogel. “I am thrilled that the film will receive a truly independent release, detached from corporate and special interests, so that we can authentically work towards these worthy outcomes.”
“Bryan Fogel is a courageous filmmaker who consistently takes great risks against very powerful authoritarians,” says Tom Ortenberg, president of Briarcliff Entertainment. “We have a great sense of responsibility with this project and are honored to provide a platform that will continue Khashoggi’s work and highlight his sacrifices to the largest audience possible.”
“This film is a chilling illustration of what results from unchecked power,” says Thor Halvorssen, producer of THE DISSIDENT and president of the Human Rights Foundation. “THE DISSIDENT shines a powerful light on the darkness of tyranny. Dictatorships are undone by public exposure and we are committed to take this story all over the world, enlisting the partnership of the general public and civil society across the political and ideological spectrum to hold MBS and his henchmen accountable.”
“THE DISSIDENT denounces the Saudi state, but also the complicity, the silence, the apologists, and the cowards who have failed to act in the aftermath of Jamal’s execution,” says Agnès Callamard, UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Executions. “Having worked closely with Bryan Fogel for more than a year, I witnessed firsthand his deep commitment to investigating and presenting the complete picture, to memorializing the truth and to seeking justice. And all of this while being inherently respectful to those whose stories he tells. THE DISSIDENT is an irrepressible moral plea for human rights and human dignity.”
“When Bryan shared his idea to make the film, I was initially reluctant,” says Khashoggi’s fiancée Hatice Cengiz. “But as we worked together, I came to realize that Bryan believed in Jamal’s cause and values. No one has told this difficult and painful story better than Bryan. I am grateful for him, for his courage, and for immortalizing Jamal with this movie. I believe it will raise awareness about Jamal’s unjust killing and remind everyone that his killers are still not punished.”
“When I decided to participate, I knew that working with an accomplished filmmaker like Bryan would not be easy, but it would be our best opportunity to tell our story to the world, to bring justice and peace to our country and to our people,” says Khashoggi’s collaborator, Omar Abdulaziz.
About Bryan Fogel:
Bryan Fogel is the Academy Award-winning director of ICARUS and a 2017 Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Prize winner. He was awarded the Edward R. Murrow Award for Journalism, nominated for the BAFTA Award, three Emmys and the DGA Award for Best Direction.
About Briarcliff Entertainment:
Briarcliff Entertainment is a new, forward thinking entertainment company, formed in 2018 by industry veteran Tom Ortenberg. In a partnership with Raven Capital Management, Briarcliff recently announced the relaunch of Open Road Films, of which Ortenberg was the Founding CEO. Key past Open Road titles include the Academy Award winner for Best Picture, “Spotlight,” “The Grey,” “Chef,” “The Nut Job,” “End of Watch,” and “Nightcrawler.” The first movie under the new Open Road banner will be “Honest Thief,” an action-thriller starring Liam Neeson and Kate Walsh, to be released wide in theaters on October 9. Previous Briarcliff theatrical releases include Michael Moore’s “Fahrenheit 11/9,” the trailblazing Latinx superhero film, “El Chicano,” and the supernatural thriller, “Don’t Let Go,” released in conjunction with Blumhouse and Universal Pictures.
About HanWay Films:
HanWay Films is a UK based international sales company specializing in quality, high-profile and commercially driven films from visionary and unique filmmakers around the world. HanWay offers full service solutions; arranging financing, sales, marketing and distribution and has long-term global producing partnerships as well as the rights to an extensive film catalogue of over five hundred feature films.
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