Educational Media Reviews Online

Ithaka, a feature-length expository documentary, immerses the viewer in the day-to-day realities of the heavy toll that Julian Assange’s detainment and incarceration has taken on his family. The profile of Assange’s father, John Shipton, reveals a gentle and philosophical man, endlessly fighting for his son’s freedom at great personal expense, often against his quiet nature. Similarly, Stella Assange, Julian’s lawyer and wife, shows the tremendous fears and pains of co-parenting with an incarcerated partner, while also navigating a horrifying legal and political battle. Depictions of Julian Assange himself are limited to intimate and humanizing moments, including as a father singing to his child from prison over the telephone, and as a son and fiancé eating Christmas dinner on a security feed.

Overall, the limited portrayals as a family man provide an effective narrative to combat what the filmmakers describe as a relentless negative campaign against Julian Assange in the media. It is important to note that both Julian Assange’s own brother as well as Stella Assange’s brother serve as producers for the documentary. As such, while Ithaka offers a compelling documentary perspective in contrast to the 2017 re-cut of Risk (a notably critical documentary treatment of Assange), it is mired in a variety of unique ethical complexities, from documentary treatment of familial subjects, to Stella Assange’s dual role as lawyer and fiancée/co-parent. None of these complexities are addressed or even clearly acknowledged in the film, though they could provide for interesting consideration and analysis in both film and media studies and legal studies classrooms through learning activities designed to put multiple documentaries or negative news coverage clips into conversation with each other. As such, Ithaka is recommended with reservations for educational use. Its greatest strength may be as a portrait of the impact on incarceration and political pressure on inmates’ families. The film would certainly be of interest to public library collections related to freedom of speech as well as whistleblowers and disclosures of public information. Features original music by Brian Eno.

Awards:
Audience Award, Human Rights Film Festival, Berlin; Amnesty International Award, Thessaloniki International Film Festival; Best International Director, Doc Edge Festival; Best Documentary & Audience Award, Soho London Independent Film Festival; Opening Night Film, Barcelona Human Rights Film Festival; Best Documentary, Australian Writers Guild; Best Documentary, Best Direction, Capricorn Film Festival

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