SWIFF has screened ITHAKA, a documentary about the plight of Julian Assange’s father, John Shipton, as he campaigns for the release of his son.

Last weekend’s screenings (29 April and 1 May) were followed by an audience Q&A with John Shipton and brother, Gabriel Shipton.

ITHAKA, produced by Gabriel Shipton and Adrian Devant, focuses on John Shipton and his journey to get his son released from prison.

Gabriel and Adrian recruited Australian director Ben Lawrence – director of Ghosthunter and Hearts & Bones – to tell the story about the Free Assange movement, and its many variants around the world, as John and family connect with supporter networks, generate and receive media interviews, and at the same time support Julian and his mental health struggles via the limited access they have to him.

Since the film wrapped, all legal proceedings have now been closed in the UK, and the US has successfully lobbied to have Julian extradited to the United States where he will face eighteen counts, mainly around espionage, and faces a maximum of 175 years in prison.

What the film tells us is there is still time to lobby, as the final decision is to be made by UK Home Secretary Priti Patel on May 18, 2022.

“In the Q&A sessions, Julian’s father John Shipton, who is a very well-spoken and chooses his words quite deliberately, continued to reiterate that this isn’t just Julian on trial – as an individual or as an Australia – this is journalism itself that is on trial,” Dave Horsley, SWIFF Festival Director, told News Of The Area.

“There have been many cases of journalists breaking stories based on confidential sources, such as The Guardian breaking the Panama Papers case, where those journalists were not prosecuted.

“They also mentioned that all support for Julian Assange first started in Australia, and then spread overseas.”

SWIFF hosted two screenings of ITHAKA through the Festival, one moderated by Dave at CHEC Theatre, and the other moderated by Fiona Williams, Head of SBS Movies, at the Jetty Memorial Theatre.

At both sessions, John Shipton, Gabriel Shipton, and director Ben Lawrence participated, with the audiences also being able to ask questions directly of SWIFF’s festival guests.

“As a film festival, SWIFF brings many real life stories to Coffs Harbour via our various documentary programs,” said Dave.

“I can’t recall a story that connects Coffs Harbour to an ongoing global story like the two screenings we hosted over the weekend, about the ongoing plight of Julian Assange’s incarceration in Ben Lawrence’s documentary ITHAKA.

“At the Q&A session I moderated, from the questions and statements from the audience, my overall sense was that people are impassioned to support Julian Assange, but unsure of where to direct their support – which is ultimately why this film was made, to help people around the world know that the fight for Julian Assange’s freedom continues as a grassroots movement to lobby for his release.”

To support the campaign to stop Julian Assange being extradited to the US, sign the petition at https://ithaka.movie/take-action/.

Act fast as the decision is being made on 18 May 2022.

READ MORE:

https://www.newsofthearea.com.au/julian-assanges-father-and-brother-attend-swiff-for-ithaka-qa-92281

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