Watermelon Pictures has acquired North American distribution rights to “The Six Billion Dollar Man,” a comprehensive look at WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange that debuted at this year’s Cannes Film Festival to critical acclaim.
“The Six Billion Dollar Man” is the latest politically charged documentary from Eugene Jarecki, the award-winning filmmaker behind “Why We Fight” and “The Trials of Henry Kissinger.” Jarecki, whose work also includes “The House I Live In” and “The King,” has been recognized with Peabody and Emmy Awards.
At Cannes, the film premiered in the Special Screenings section, where Jarecki won the recently announced Golden Globe Prize for documentary, honoring a filmmaker’s “contribution in shaping the documentary genre and challenging the way audiences see the world.” The film also won a special jury prize in Cannes.
The film draws on exclusive access to WikiLeaks archives, rare footage and interviews to trace the saga of Assange, whose recent release from prison has sparked a larger debate on press freedom. It features appearances by Assange, Stella Assange, Pamela Anderson, Edward Snowden, Naomi Klein, Chris Hedges, Jeremy Scahill and Lady Gaga. Watermelon Pictures will give “The Six Billion Dollar Man” an awards qualifying run this year and release the film in theaters in early 2026.
“We are thrilled to partner with Watermelon Pictures for the release of ‘The Six Billion Dollar Man,’” Jarecki said in a statement. “Watermelon understands the urgency of the film at a time when journalists are being killed around the world, news organizations are being gutted and authoritarianism is spreading like wildfire. Through all its jaw-dropping twists and turns, the saga of Julian Assange’s fight to defend the public’s right to the truth holds deeper resonance today than ever before.”
Watermelon Pictures is a film production and distribution company committed to “amplifying the voices of underrepresented filmmakers across the globe.” The company says it is “rooted in Palestinian culture and creativity.” Founded by brothers Hamza Ali and Badie Ali in 2024, Watermelon Pictures released the Oscar-shortlisted film “From Ground Zero.” Last May, the company launched Watermelon+, a streaming service showcasing a library of Palestinian and world cinema ever assembled.
“It’s a privilege to champion Eugene Jarecki’s fearless and vital storytelling,” said Hamza Ali in a statement. “’The Six Billion’ Dollar Man doesn’t just document history, it challenges us to confront the systems shaping it.”
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Justin DiPietro, the EVP of Watermelon who will be spearheading the distribution of the film, added: “Jarecki’s film gives us an opportunity to spread our creative wings and showcase our versatility as a distributor.”
“The Six Billion Dollar Man” was produced by Kathleen Fournier for Charlotte Street Films. The documentary was co-produced by Andrew McLain, Molly Bareiss, Claudia Becker, José Passarelli and Juan Passarelli, with executive producers Addison O’Dea, Mathilde Bonnefoy, Geralyn White Dreyfous and James Packer.
The deal was negotiated by Munir Atalla, head of production and acquisitions at Watermelon Pictures, and WME Independent on behalf of the filmmakers.
From Variety US