Mediastan (2013)

Immersed in the desolate grandeur of the mountainous 'Stans' landscape, Mediastan (2013) invites you on a riveting journey through the silent byways of this compelling region. Our first destination is Asia Plus, a Tajikistan newspaper, where we meet Marat Mamadshoev, the Editor-in-Chief. He coyly muses on the concept of speaking freely about taboos and the necessity of approval from their "Washington DC overlord." As greenlighted by the superior, the team delves deep into the material, guided by Assange's cautionary advice on Skype: "Read all of it. If you go searching for particular things you will bring your own prejudice to the material." However, as the Wikileaks team steps into their next meeting, complications emerge: "the problem is that there are many things in the cables that we cannot publish...because we will get into trouble". A chillier greeting awaits at the Kazakh Telegraph Agency, where the dangers of unregulated access to data are lamented, and their mission is dismissed as futile. The team, undeterred, retreats to their UK base, reflecting on the variants of free speech boundaries across the globe. The Guardian and the New York Times' Editors-in-Chief candidly discuss the complexities of "protecting individuals," "self-censorship," and the challenging decisions regarding the publication of leaked data. Bill Keller, framed by pictures of US Presidents and politicians, deliberates on the power dynamics shaping the media landscape. Mediastan (2013) is a profound exploration of the delicate web of relationships between the press, the public, and the often-invisible forces that manipulate them. This riveting expedition through the 'Stans' offers a potent discourse on freedom of speech and its limitations, entrenched in the stark realities of the international media scene.

Mediastan is a documentary movie featuring Julian Assange and directed by Johannes Wahlström.

It is possible to buy Mediastan on Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies and YouTube.