Running the Assange retake The Fifth Estate as the opening film for Toronto is an odd choice in itself. But the screening/not screening and cut/not cut for the press makes it even odder. Lazslo Kriston channels Australian into a detached European take on the film.
What escaped the attention of the international media is that local critics were shown the $30 million Wikileaks drama, The Fifth Estate, TIFF’s opening film, some three weeks before, only to be told later that they can’t release reviews of the movie on account of it not being the final version. Everyone was invited to see the release-ready cut on TIFF’s opening day. Then that morning screening was cancelled, replaced by a 9.30pm showing which obviously started after the public screening, in other worlds, the world premiere. What does this all tell you?
