BELLINGCAT – TRUTH IN A POST-TRUTH WORLD explores the promise of open source investigation, taking viewers inside the exclusive world of the “citizen investigative journalist” collective known as Bellingcat. In cases ranging from the MH17 disaster to the poisoning of a Russian spy in the United Kingdom, the Bellingcat team’s quest for truth will shed light on the fight for journalistic integrity in the era of fake news and alternative facts.
Running time: 88 min
TRUTH IN A POST-TRUTH WORLD
A FILM BY HANS POOL
SYNOPSIS
BELLINGCAT – TRUTH IN A POST-TRUTH WORLD follows the revolutionary rise of the “citizen investigative journalist” collective known as Bellingcat, a group of online researchers dedicated to exposing the truth of impenetrable news stories from around the world – from the MH17 disaster to the Syrian Civil War to the mysterious poisoning of a Russian spy in the United Kingdom. From his Leicester home, de facto leader Eliot and his team of truth-seekers put newspapers, networks and governments to the test. Bellingcat uses cutting-edge digital techniques and crowdsourcing to create a faster, more innovative approach than traditional research journalism. For the first time, Bellingcat researchers in Germany, the Netherlands, Finland and the United States have given exclusive access to filmmaker Hans Pool, allowing him to follow the group on their path to demonstrate the power of open source investigation. Bellingcat’s impact is examined through the lens of their current investigations, as well as the high-profile conflicts they’ve previously reported. In the three years since its inception, Bellingcat has produced a remarkable amount of breaking news while gaining a reputation for trailblazing journalism. When the International Criminal Court issued a landmark arrest warrant based on social media evidence, it was Bellingcat that proceeded to work on the case. Just last year, Dutch member Christiaan Triebert was awarded the European Press Prize for innovative journalism for his reporting on the failed Turkish coup. In a web of propaganda disguised as truth, what drives Bellingcat forward? With governments growing less reliable by the day and traditional newspapers declining in both relevance and reach – how does Bellingcat, dismissed by some critics as an assortment of self-funded “armchair researchers”, have the ability to force powerful world leaders to the international courts where they are held accountable for their crimes? What does their success say about how our world has changed in the face of this century’s paradigm shifting developments in government, technology and social media?
AWARDS
Documentary - International Emmy Awards 2019
TV Documentary - Prix Europa Nomination 2019
Humanitarian Award Feature - Raven Awards Docutah 2019
RTBF Award - Festival des Libertes 2019
Global Awareness Award - Thin Line Fest 2019
Best Documentary Film - The Golden Frame Awards / Rab Film Festival 2019
Jury Prize for Best Feature - San Francisco DocFest Awards 2019
FESTIVAL SELECTIONS 2019
IDFA 2018 (World Premiere)
SXSW (International premiere)
Human Rights Watch Film Festival London (European premiere)
CPH:DOX
HotDocs
DOK.fest München
Melbourne IFF
True/False festival
Docudays
One World
Millenium Docs Against Gravity
Doc Edge Festival
Mostra Sao Paulo
Zurich IFF
Bergen IFF
San Francisco Documentary Festival
DOCUTAH International Documentary Film Festival
Human Rights Watch Film Festivals in US & Germany
(and more)
QUOTES
“Cutting-edge documentary”
“An exciting look at one such group of self-appointed fact finders”
“A John Le Carré spy movie”
PRESS
Download the presskit NL (PDF)
Download the presskit EN (PDF)
DISTRIBUTION - BENELUXPERISCOOP FILMWiepko Oosterhuis - wiepko@periscoopfilm.nlTelephone: +31 (0)20 820 49 40
SALESUS Represented by: CAAAmanda Lebow - amanda.lebow@caa.comcaa.com ROW sales agent: CINEPHILPhilippa Kowarsky - philippa@cinephil.comcinephil.com
EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL
Download the viewing guide EN (PDF)
WRITTEN, Directed & CAMERA BY
Hans Pool
Producers
Femke Wolting
Bruno Felix
Sound
Pepijn Aben
Editor
Simon Barker
Research & editorial
Sasha Ourikh
Yula Altchouler
Music
Frank Wienk (Binkbeats)
Conversations with
Eliot Higgins
Christiaan Triebert
Hadi Al-Khatib
Veli-Pekka Kivimäki
Timmi Allen
Aric Toler
Roman Dovrokhotov
Alexa Koenig
Wilbert Paulissen
Moritz Rakuszitzky
Jay Rosen
Claire Wardle
Aidan White
© 2018 Submarine Amsterdam / VPRO - All Rights Reserved
BELLINGCAT – TRUTH IN A POST-TRUTH WORLD explores the promise of open source investigation, taking viewers inside the exclusive world of the “citizen investigative journalist” collective known as Bellingcat. In cases ranging from the MH17 disaster to the poisoning of a Russian spy in the United Kingdom, the Bellingcat team’s quest for truth will shed light on the fight for journalistic integrity in the era of fake news and alternative facts.
Runtime: 88 min