keywords: WikiLeaks, Dreamworks, movie, Assange, Cablegate, propaganda date: Early 2013 group: Dreamworks
THE FIFTH ESTATE
***
OVER BLACK:
A WHISPER OF VOICES, barely audible at first. Confessional,
personal, people sharing SECRETS.
WE FADE IN:
EXT. GUARDIAN - LONDON, ENGLAND - NEAR MIDNIGHT
A looming modern structure, steel and glass, home of...
July 2010
The Guardian - London, England
The whisper builds, pushing us into --
INT. GUARDIAN, BULLPEN - LONDON, ENGLAND - NEAR MIDNIGHT
A low buzz, a hustle of activity, journalists swirling.
REPORTER NICK DAVIES, 50s, handsome, hustles along with
RUMPLED EDITOR ALAN RUSBRIDGER, 50s. Alan's on a blackberry.
NICK DAVIES
If we hold the shooting in Kabul we
can keep it all to 14 pages.
They pass ONE SHEETS tacked to the wall, we note the FRONT
PAGE -- MASSIVE LEAK OF SECRET FILES EXPOSES TRUE AFGHAN
WAR.
ALAN RUSBRIDGER
(off his blackberry)
The Times wants to go.
Alan glances over at Nick. Nick frowns.
NICK DAVIES
Let me talk to Rosenbach.
INT. ANKE'S APARTMENT - BERLIN, GERMANY - NIGHT (SAME TIME)
A quiet room. CLOSE ON a laptop screen, The Guardian
website, no mention of the Afghan War Logs.
The cursor moves, hits the REFRESH BUTTON. The screen
refreshes. Nothing's changed. The cursor HITS the button
again. The screen refreshes, again it's the same.
As the cursor hits the button AGAIN --
EXT. POTSDAMER PLATZ - BERLIN, GERMANY - NIGHT (SAME TIME)
A SMALL BUILDING overshadowed by an array of GRAND
MODERNITY.
Der Spiegel - Berlin, Germany
A rumble of German voices take us into --
INT. DER SPIEGEL, STARK'S OFFICE - BERLIN - NIGHT (SAME
TIME)
A small office, ICONIC SPIEGEL COVERS on the walls. A
BUTTONED UP EDITOR, STARK, 40s, stands over a PROGRAMMER
working on the front page of SPIEGEL ONLINE. An English
headline -- AMERICA'S SECRET WAR.
[IN GERMAN WITH SUBTITLES]--
STARK
No, I don't want to have to scroll
down for the Task Force 373 story.
ROSENBACH
Holger, I've got Nick.
Stark turns. A DISHEVELED REPORTER, ROSENBACH, stands in the
door with a laptop. Nick in an open Skype window.
STARK
(pleading, IN ENGLISH)
Five minutes. Five more minutes.
INT. ANKE'S APARTMENT - BERLIN, GERMANY - NIGHT (SAME TIME)
CLOSE ON a hand holding down the SHIFT KEY. RACK FOCUS to
the other hand, clicking a MOUSE over and over.
CUT TO --
EYES covered with THICK BLACK GLASSES. In their REFLECTION
we see the screen. Refreshing again. Still the same.
EXT. NEW YORK TIMES - NEW YORK, NEW YORK - 5PM (SAME TIME)
The familiar TIMES LOGO sprawled across a SLICK NEW
BUILDING.
BILL KELLER
(O.C.)
Alan, you said five o'clock.
INT. NEW YORK TIMES, BUNKER ROOM - NEW YORK - DAY (SAME
TIME)
A small room, BILL KELLER stands over a TECH, reads a story
on a laptop, DEPUTIES crowded round. A SPEAKERPHONE squawks.
ALAN
(ON SPEAKERPHONE)
Yes, Bill, I know but...
Bill NODS to the tech, he starts typing, taking the site
live.
The deputies start to clear out as...
INT. RUSBRIDGER'S OFFICE - LONDON, ENGLAND - NIGHT(SAME
TIME)
Nick stands with Alan, on the phone, as AGITATED as he gets.
ALAN
(ON THE PHONE)
...Nick just spoke to Rosenbach,
they need at least another few --
IAN
(O.C.)
They're live. The Times is live.
Alan lowers the phone, turns to DEPUTY EDITOR IAN KATZ, 40s,
at a desktop. WE SEE the TIMES SITE live with THE WAR LOGS.
NICK DAVIES
Patience, humility, such cardinal
American virtues...
ALAN
(irritated)
Go.
As Nick rushes out of the office, Ian at his heels --
INT. ANKE'S APARTMENT - BERLIN, GERMANY - NIGHT (SAME TIME)
WE'RE WIDER NOW, we see a dimly lit office CLUTTERED with
routers, servers, network gear.
In the middle of it all, the MAN IN GLASSES sits on a stool,
his back to us, staring at a laptop. He's SHIRTLESS... A
HUGE UNFINISHED WIKILEAKS TATTOO stretches across his back.
He holds shift, clicks the mouse, the site refreshes. He
reaches for a mug, lifts it and PAUSES. Over his shoulder,
THE GUARDIAN SITE: SECRET FILES EXPOSE AFGHAN WAR.
CUT TO --
DANIEL BERG, 31. His beard UNKEMPT, a WEARY LOOK, complex
emotions playing across his face as he stares at the screen.
Off his reaction, we SMASH TO A SERIES OF MEDIA CLIPS --
TELEVISION MONTAGE (REAL FOOTAGE)
WOLF BLITZER and others report on the leak of the AFGHAN WAR
LOGS. They show WAR FOOTAGE and pivot from military cover
ups to the impact of Wikileaks on journalism, diplomacy,
national security...
Finally, a few reports suggest Wikileaks is about to release
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF STATE DEPARTMENT CABLES...
TELEVISION (REAL FOOTAGE)
Obama speaks at the Rose Garden.
PRESIDENT OBAMA
...the disclosure could
potentially jeopardize individuals
or operations...
EXT. PARCHIN MILITARY COMPLEX - TEHRAN, IRAN - DAY
DESERT landscape, a jagged mountain backdrop, barren save
for an oddly located COMPLEX of STERILE WHITE BUILDINGS.
PARCHIN MILITARY COMPLEX - TEHRAN, IRAN
INT. PARCHIN MILITARY COMPLEX, CORRIDOR - TEHRAN, IRAN - DAY
FOUR SCIENTISTS in WHITE COATS walk through a WINDOWLESS
CORRIDOR towards a MILITARY CHECKPOINT.
[ALL SCENES AT PARCHIN PLAY IN FARSI WITH SUBTITLES].
OLDER SCIENTIST'S VOICE
(O.C.)
A high speed camera will measure
the explosive charge we've designed
to trigger the chain reaction.
The youngest, SIM SARNA, 40s, carries a pad. He speaks up.
SIM SARNA
The dimensions are consistent with
the Shahab missile payload?
The older scientist nods as ARMED GUARDS check IDs, do a
RETINAL SCAN and then wave them through into --
INT. PARCHIN MILITARY COMPLEX, OBSERVATION ROOM - IRAN - DAY
A room of Iranian scientists. Sarna and his team walk in and
join them at a LARGE OBSERVATION WINDOW that looks out on...
A HUGE SUBTERRANEAN COMPLEX. Technicians scurry around a
large, cylindrical containment vessel surrounded by high
speed cameras and cocooned with fiber-optic cables.
Sarna spots a BLUEPRINT with NUCLEAR SYMBOLS on the wall. A
Teller-Ulam design for a NUCLEAR BOMB. Sarna opens his pad
to take notes when a GENERAL walks up.
IRANIAN MILITARY GENERAL
Gentlemen, if you'll follow me.
He starts to lead them into the main complex when Sarna's
cell RINGS. He checks the ID and HOLDS BACK. CONFUSED.
SIM SARNA
(ANSWERING THE PHONE)
This is Sim.
PUSH IN on his face as his EYES GO WIDE. A beat, then trying
to remain calm, Sarna heads for the exit...
OLDER SCIENTIST
(O.C.)
Sim? They're detonating in fifteen
minutes.
SIM SARNA
I... left my log book in the car.
As he turns, we SMASH TO --
EXT. PARCHIN MILITARY COMPLEX - TEHRAN, IRAN - DAY
A CAR barrels down the two lane road that cuts through the
desert.
As we spot Sarna, FREAKED, at the wheel, SMASH TO --
INT./EXT. SARNA'S CAR (MOVING) - TEHRAN, IRAN - DAY
Sarna's PALE and SWEATING, eyes filled with FEAR as he
SWERVES past slower moving vehicles. The car SCREECHES round
a corner, SPEEDS down a residential block and SLAMS into a
driveway of a PRETTY TWO STORY HOUSE.
Sarna BLOWS out of the car and we PULL BACK to... A LONG
LENS tracking Sarna racing into the house.
REVERSE TO --
Two IRANIAN MEN IN SUITS in an unmarked sedan. WATCHING. One
pulls back his jacket, reaches for a HOLSTERED GUN.
INT. SARNA'S HOUSE, KITCHEN - TEHRAN, IRAN - DAY
A well appointed kitchen. Sarna's young wife SHIDA is in
modern dress and sings to a baby in her arms. Behind her, a
MAID IN A BURKA cooks. [ALL IN FARSI WITH SUBTITLES].
Sarna RUSHES in, PALE, SWEATING. He turns to the maid.
SIM SARNA
You need to go home.
SHIDA
She's cooking dinner.
SARNA
Now! She needs to go now, Shida!
The maid exits quickly. Shida turns, CONFUSED.
SARNA
(CONTINUED)
We need to pack. Everything.
Sarna's wife PALES as we hear a KNOCK at the door. Sarna
turns. Through the window, we see the TWO MEN IN SUITS.
LOOMING.
Off Sarna, TERRIFIED, we PRELAP --
JAMES BOSWELL
(PRELAP)
Any other sources we still need to
notify in the Middle East?
EXT. U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT - WASHINGTON DC - DAY
The blocky, limestone architecture of Foggy Bottom.
The State Department, Washington D.C.
URGENT, AGITATED AMERICAN VOICES pull us into --
INT. U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT, BUNKER ROOM - WASHINGTON DC -
DAY
A chaotic swirl of TENSE DIPLOMATS on phones and
BlackBerrys, sifting through a MOUNTAIN of dossiers all
marked CONFIDENTIAL -- the fabled DIPLOMATIC CABLES.
DIPLOMAT
(O.C.)
Qaddafi's body man is one of ours.
FIND a DIPLOMAT at a WHITE BOARD: A MAP, a LIST OF
COUNTRIES, and NAMES OF SOURCES in two columns, NOTIFY or
EXTRACT.
STAFFER
Pulling him will torch the
Ambassador.
A STAFFER hands a file marked STRICTLY PROTECT to...
JAMES BOSWELL, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR DIPLOMATIC
SECURITY. BOSWELL, 62, has the wisdom and unflappable air of
someone who's been in the foreign service for over 30 years.
JAMES BOSWELL
We're pulling the Ambassador.
DIPLOMAT
Jesus. How long do we --
JAMES BOSWELL
Assange is talking to the press in
an hour, let's not screw around.
The men react but Boswell's already MOVING.
SPIN TO --
YOUNG DIPLOMAT
Karzai's going apeshit, I need the
Secretary to put in another call.
A YOUNG DIPLOMAT with a FEW CABLES catches up with him.
JAMES BOSWELL
She's still talking Cameron down,
let me handle him.
He TAKES the cables, moves past a BANK OF TVS -- CNN, FOX
coverage of the leak -- and lands at a TABLE OF DOCUMENTS.
SARAH SHAW
You think the President of
Turkmenistan will be more annoyed
that I called him a practiced liar
or that I called him vain?
DEPUTY UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE, SARAH SHAW, early 40s, eyes
a cable. Sarah's brittle, a searing intelligence that hasn't
always served well in the world of diplomacy and politics.
JAMES BOSWELL
He's heard worse.
SARAH SHAW
(reading)
The President doesn't like people
smarter than him. Since he's not
very bright, he's suspicious of a
lot of people.
JAMES BOSWELL
Berdymukhamedov has been around a
while, he doesn't tend to worry
about the opinions of mid-level
foreign attaches.
SARAH SHAW
(off the cable)
Yes, that's why I signed Hillary's
name to it.
Tight smile from Boswell. That could get Sarah fired.
JAMES BOSWELL
I'll see if the Times will hold it.
SARAH SHAW
I've got bigger issues.
She holds out a LARGE STACK of cables. Boswell BALKS.
JAMES BOSWELL
Sarah, I'm collecting cables from
the head of every foreign desk, I
can't --
SARAH SHAW
Then you tell me what to ignore.
(off a few cables)
This could destroy the Sudanese
peace talks, this screws a source
in Cairo...
JAMES BOSWELL
The Times will redact the names.
SARAH SHAW
What about him? Will he?
AGITATED, she eyes the TVs, each with a DIFFERENT IMAGE of
JULIAN ASSANGE, ANGLED SHOTS so we can't see his face.
SARAH SHAW
(CONTINUED)
And don't tell me your buddy
Keller's got him under control.
Every news network on the planet is
covering his press conference, he's
bigger than the Times, he's going
to do whatever the hell he wants.
Just like he did with the war logs.
Boswell softens. CONCERNED --
JAMES BOSWELL
Any word on Sim?
Sarah shakes her head, WORRIED.
SARAH SHAW
300 million people gave us the
responsibility of deciding what's
public. Who in God's name elected
him?
We push past her, towards the bank of tvs, towards the
VAGUE, FRACTURED OF IMAGES of ASSANGE and we hear...
CBS ANCHOR
Love him or loathe him,
MSNBC ANCHOR
(ON THE MONITOR)
Assange provokes debate --
Julian Assange is not your
average journalist --
CNN ANCHOR
Some have argued he's not really a
journalist at all...
Push into a MONITOR -- MORE STOLEN GLIMPSES of Julian...
putting on boots, hauling a backpack...
CBS ANCHOR
The peripatetic internet muckraker
is used to bounding...
INT. ANKE'S APARTMENT - BERLIN, GERMANY - DAY (SAME TIME)
MATCH CUT TO A LAPTOP, STREAMING VIDEO from CBS and a
COLLAGE of other NEWS SITES, all open to stories on the war
logs. On the video, Julian pulls the wrapping off a new cell
phone...
CBS ANCHOR
(O.C.)
...from city to city, regularly
changing his cell phones,
hairstyles and general appearance,
he says to avoid surveillance...
We hear the BRITISH DOUBLE PURR of a recently placed phone
call and FIND Daniel, AGITATED, phone to his ear. A shirt on
now, he rifles through a BACKPACK just like Julian's.
DANIEL
Come on. Come on, pick up.
Daniel grabs a SECOND LAPTOP as the DOUBLE PURR takes us
to--
INT. LONDON TAXI CAB - LONDON, ENGLAND - DAY (SAME TIME)
MATCH SOUND TO A RINGING PHONE... in the hands of ZIGGY, a
17-YEAR-OLD INTERN in a rear facing jump seat in the back of
a crowded cab. We spy a FRACTURED REFLECTION in the
window...
A GLOWING LAPTOP SCREEN, a SHOCK OF WHITE HAIR.
PAN TO...
A MAN WITH WHITE HAIR opposite Ziggy, hunched over his
laptop. Beside him, the SAME BACKPACK as Daniel. We don't
see his face, but we know it's JULIAN ASSANGE, 39.
ZIGGY
It's Daniel.
Julian waves him off. Ziggy SILENCES the phone as the cab
pulls up in front of the FRONTLINE CLUB.
The intern opens the door and we CUT INTO --
INT. FRONTLINE CLUB, PRESS ROOM - LONDON - DAY (SAME TIME)
PRESS MILLING. Photos of soldiers on the wall, copies of The
Guardian everywhere -- MASSIVE LEAK EXPOSES TRUE AFGHAN WAR.
A BBC REPORTER stands near a PODIUM, doing a live feed.
BBC REPORTER (TO CAMERA)
A few months ago, most people had
never heard of Wikileaks or its
mysterious and eccentric founder...
OFF TO ONE SIDE, a small group of reporters congratulate Ian
Katz, now in GUARDIAN PRESS TAGS.
Suddenly, he hears --
NEWSMEN
(WHISPERING)
He's here. / Assange is here.
Ian looks up, spies Ziggy on the edge of the room.
As he starts to move, we hear a loud KNOCK and we SMASH TO
--
INT. ANKE'S APARTMENT - BERLIN, GERMANY - DAY (SAME TIME)
Daniel pulls open the door. MARCUS, 30s, a BEARDED HACKER
with an IMPOSING PRESENCE, pushes in carrying a laptop bag.
Daniel leads him to his desk, where several laptops are now
up and running. Marcus pulls another out of his pack.
MARCUS
Did you reach him?
DANIEL
No.
As Marcus pops open the laptop, Daniel glances at a TV.
We see our BBC Reporter in the Frontline Club press room.
BBC REPORTER
Mr. Assange dismissed reports of
internal dissention and defections
--
Daniel and Marcus trade a LOOK, Daniel moves to a laptop. We
see the WIKILEAKS SITE and an OPEN CHAT BOX. Daniel TYPES.
ddd: Julian? Are you there?
INT. FRONTLINE CLUB, GREEN ROOM - LONDON - DAY (SAME TIME)
MATCH CUT TO ANOTHER LAPTOP. A CHAT pops up in a CHAT BOX.
ddd: Julian? Are you there?
Next to the chat, a collage of PAUSED VIDEO CLIPS and ONLINE
ARTICLES... all about Assange. REVEAL Julian, back to us,
typing a speech on a second laptop. Julian pauses, looks at
the chat box, IGNORES it, but glances over at the ARTICLES.
Ian Katz walks in and peers over Julian's shoulder.
IAN KATZ
A man points to the moon and the
idiots look at his finger.
JULIAN
Then I suppose we'll have to give
them the moon again.
Julian smiles up at Ian. It's the first time we've gotten a
good look at him. And he's fucking MAGNETIC.
Julian takes the laptop he was working on and exits. HOLD ON
the other laptop. On Daniel's BLINKING MESSAGE.
SMASH TO --
INT. FRONTLINE CLUB, PRESS ROOM - LONDON - DAY (SAME TIME)
Julian shuffles to the podium, Ian behind him. The press
hushes as Julian opens up his laptop. He pauses, looks out
at the crowd, TAKING IN THE MOMENT. A beat, then --
JULIAN
If journalism is good it is
controversial by its nature...
INT. ANKE'S APARTMENT - BERLIN, GERMANY - DAY (SAME TIME)
MATCH CUT TO Julian on TV.
Marcus and Daniel watch.
JULIAN
(ON THE MONITOR)
Of course, powerful abusers always
attempt to criticise the
messenger--
As Julian speaks, we PUSH IN on Daniel...
JULIAN
(ON THE MONITOR)
(CONTINUED)
...to distract from the power of
the message...
MARCUS
Daniel. If you want to do this, we
need to do it now.
Daniel turns back towards his laptop. As he rubs his eyes,
we push past him, to the laptop screen, the blinking cursor.
ddd: Julian? Are you there?
PUSH IN as faint ELECTRONICA starts WHISPERING, PULSING...
Suddenly, THE LETTERS CHANGE FROM GREEN TO WHITE. SLAM
INTO--
INT. EDS (ELECTRONIC DATA SYSTEMS) - BERLIN, GERMANY - DAY
White letters on black. Tinny electronica a little louder.
ddd: Julian? Are you there?
PULL BACK to REVEAL another computer screen. Another chat
box. And a man wearing HUGE BLACK HEADPHONES. SPIN TO --
A YOUNGER DANIEL BERG, now 28, in a CATASTROPHE OF A
CUBICLE. FILES everywhere, a DIRT BIKE against the wall,
desk littered with BOTTLES of CLUB MATE energy cola, WILLIAM
GIBSON NOVELS, CALL OF CTHULHU BOOKS, an odd ANTENNA made of
PRINGLES CANS.
December 2007
Electronic Data Systems - Berlin, Germany
Daniel's in T-SHIRT and JEANS, CLEAN SHAVEN, no world weary
to his mien... a YOUTHFUL LIGHT in his eyes as he looks
hopefully at the screen.
ON THE SCREEN, we WIDEN to reveal TIME CODES and SCROLL UP
[NOTE: There should be 15 or 20, these are representative.]
07-12-23 11:29 jjj: hey daniel, see
you in Berlin?
07-12-23 11:30 ddd: julian! you're
coming?
07-12-23 11:30 ddd: you send in the
forms for your talk?
07-12-24 12:41 ddd: julian? are you
there?
07-12-26 13:56 ddd: heya, you still
logged on?
07-12-27 16:41 ddd: julian? are you
there?
SUPERVISOR
(O.C.)
Mr. Berg.
REVEAL DANIEL'S SUPERVISOR, black suit and gray temples, at
the cubicle door. He's trying to get Daniel's attention.
Daniel, OBLIVIOUS, reaches for a bottle of CLUB MATE.
ANNOYED, the Supervisor TAPS on Daniel's headphones. Daniel
turns, pulls off a headphone; the electronica WHINES.
SUPERVISOR
(CONTINUED)
Have you seen this?
He holds out a STACK OF PAGES, GERMAN TEXT over IMAGES OF
THE GRINCH: ACHTUNG! LASSEN SIE SICH NICHT DER GRINCH!
[LISTEN! DON'T BE A GRINCH!]
SUPERVISOR
(CONTINUED)
They're printing on ... every
printer in the office.
Daniel looks to the printer outside his door. CHURNING.
DANIEL
Guess someone's pissed you made New
Year's Eve a work day.
SUPERVISOR
Yes, and as our resident computer
freak, could you find out who that
someone is?
Daniel pulls up a DIAGNOSTIC on his computer. He scans it...
DANIEL
Whoever did it disguised his IP
address. According to this, the
print jobs are coming from... your
computer.
The supervisor STARES. Daniel stands, starts PACKING UP.
DANIEL
(CONTINUED)
It's thousands of pages. You'll
have to manually reboot if you want
it to stop.
SUPERVISOR
(off Daniel packing up)
Where are you going? I need you to
finish the Opel --
Daniel hands him TWO FOLDERS from the bottom of his pile.
DANIEL
I costed out GM too, in case you
need something to do tomorrow.
As the Supervisor stares down at the folders, Daniel grabs
his bike, takes off... exiting the cubicle and crossing with
ANKE DOMSCHEIT (CUTE, 20S). Daniel's clearly into her.
ANKE
Charlie in maintenance said you
left this by the scanner.
She holds out a German edition of The Grinch Who Stole
Christmas (WIE DER GRINCH). Daniel takes the book.
DANIEL
Happy New Year.
Daniel SMILES, pops on his headphones and wheels off. Anke,
not quite sure what to make of him, watches as he heads past
SEVERAL CHURNING PRINTERS. Tinny electronica SWELLS and...
WE RISE UP over A MAZE OF CUBICLES, little boxes, each with
a SUIT at a TIDY DESK. Daniel weaves through the maze,
moving to music no one else hears, music that POUNDS US INTO
--
EXT. ALEXANDERPLATZ - BERLIN, GERMANY - DAY
A CRANE SHOT of the famous plaza. Industrial Eastern Bloc
architecture broken up by COLORFUL MURALS and western ADS.
The camera PANS DOWN through the gentle snowfall and we PICK
UP A BACKPACK on a BIKE -- Daniel, HEADPHONES ON, weaving
through clusters of pedestrians in the vast square.
EXT. BCC (BERLINER CONGRESS CENTER) - BERLIN, GERMANY - DAY
Daniel glides to a stop at the edge of the plaza. He hops
off the bike, looks up.
A HUGE ROCKET stands outside the entrance to the HUGE
CONFERENCE CENTER. A COLORFUL SIGN flaps in the wind.
24c3: DECEMBER 27TH-31st, 2007 24TH CHAOS COMPUTER CONGRESS
- VOLLDAMPF VORAUS!
Daniel watches as a CROWD of GRUNGY YOUNG MEN STREAM into
the building.
A SMILE crosses his face and we CUT TO --
INT. BCC (BERLINER CONGRESS CENTER) - BERLIN, GERMANY - DAY
NERDY MEN with TATS and EAR BUDS push into a hall of PULSING
MUSIC, FLASHING MONITORS, and JERRY-RIGGED ELECTRONICS.
FIND DANIEL in the throng, CAPTIVATED as he passes BOOTHS of
HACKERS working on various high and low tech initiatives. In
one, a REEDY KID with thick glasses TAKES APART an iPhone...
REEDY HACKER
Once you crack the source code, you
can reprogram it for any carrier...
...in another, a FAT HACKER powers up a QUADROCOPTER...
FAT HACKER
A 4K cam, varifocal zoom... it's
the future of government
surveillance...
The hacker paws a REMOTE CONTROL and the QUADROCOPTER RISES.
THE CAMERA FOLLOWS as it flies over booths -- Electronic
Graffiti, Quantum Cryptography -- it's WILD, a stark
contrast to the lifeless EDS cubicles.
The copter CIRCLES BACK to --
Daniel, ABSORBED, much more at home here than at EDS, grabs
a PAMPHLET from the quadrocopter booth and heads towards--
INT. BCC, VOLUNTEER DESK - BERLIN, GERMANY - DAY
Three guys in 24c3 shirts sign in participants, volunteers.
Behind them, a MAN pulls NETWORK SWITCHES from an EDS BOX.
Daniel walks up, hands a form to one of the volunteers.
DANIEL
Daniel Berg, I volunteered to sell
shirts tomorrow?
As Daniel hands a form, the MAN at the EDS box turns. We
recognize him -- it's a well-rested, almost jovial MARCUS.
MARCUS
Hey, Daniel, thanks for getting EDS
to donate again.
DANIEL
Donate may be the wrong word.
Marcus smiles, exits with the switches. A volunteer returns
with a STACK OF SHIRTS. As Daniel grabs them, glancing at an
EASEL with the LECTURE SCHEDULE, we hear an AUSTRALIAN
TWANG--
JULIAN
(O.C.)
We must be on the schedule. My
associate Jay Lim sent in our
proposal months ago.
Daniel turns, sees JULIAN ASSANGE, a strange picture with
two backpacks and a TENT. Irritated, he lobbies OTTO, one of
the guys at the desk. Otto has an EARLOBE CORK, is
UNIMPRESSED.
OTTO
We didn't get anything from
Wikileakers --
JULIAN
Wikileaks. This is ridiculous.
Who's in charge here?
DANIEL
Julian?
Julian turns, doesn't recognize him.
DANIEL
(CONTINUED)
It's Daniel. Daniel Berg. I
contacted you over chat?
JULIAN
Daniel. Thank God.
(leans in,
conspiratorial)
For a moment, I thought you were...
He nods towards a BLUE HAIRED WEIRDO with a ton of
piercings, gripping a laptop and staring at them from a
nearby couch.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
Online dating has gotten me into
trouble before.
A MISCHIEVOUS grin. It's MAGNETIC. Daniel smiles.
OTTO
(O.C.) (out of patience)
I have people waiting here.
DANIEL
Otto, his organization is super
cool, they've been doing crazy shit
in Kenya, they just leaked a major
report on government corruption.
OTTO
(skeptical, off the tent)
You took on the Kenyan government
from a tent.
JULIAN
I thought it more prudent than
checking into the Nairobi Hilton.
(to Daniel)
Of course that didn't stop Kibaki
from raiding our compound.
OTTO
The President of Kenya attacked
your compound?
JULIAN
Twenty men, with heavy artillery...
(to Otto, an edge)
Least you could do is put me on the
program.
OTTO
I'm afraid the small conference
rooms are all booked.
DANIEL
(off the schedule)
What about the auditorium? It's
empty 'til the X-Box Security talk.
OTTO
(beat, then relenting)
You can have it for a half hour.
But you'll have to print flyers if
you want an audience.
JULIAN
That shouldn't be a problem.
Julian grabs his things and heads directly for a printer
room... marked CLUB MEMBERS ONLY. Otto shoots Daniel a look.
DANIEL
God forbid we give free toner to
human rights activists.
INT. BCC, PRINTER ROOM - BERLIN, GERMANY - DAY
CLOSE ON a laptop hooked up to a printer... SPITTING OUT
FLYERS with WIKILEAKS LOGOS.
Daniel enters. He sees the laptop sitting by a ROW OF
PRINTERS, but no Julian. Until --
JULIAN
(O.C.)
Sorry, I totally spaced on that
proposal. Of course I was a little
busy in Nairobi.
Julian gets out from UNDER A TABLE WITH a BCC EXTENSION
CORD.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
By the way, that report we leaked
shifted voting 10% in the
Presidential election. You should
mention that when you introduce me.
DANIEL
Sure.
But Daniel's STARING at Julian, who's pulled out a pen
knife, cut the extension cord and swiftly started to FUSE it
with a shredded power cord. Julian notices Daniel staring.
JULIAN
Shredded my power cord in Mombasa,
I'm almost out of juice. I assume
the club won't mind making a small
donation?
DANIEL
I'll pay for the cord if you
actually get it to work.
Julian plugs the newly repaired cord into his laptop... and
the screen BRIGHTENS.
JULIAN
If you're going to take on global
corruption, you need a few super
powers.
Daniel can't help but SMILE. He picks up a flyer.
2007: WikiLeaks vs. The World.
JULIAN
(PRELAP) (CONTINUED)
I'm a mathematician by training...
INT. BCC, MAIN AUDITORIUM - BERLIN, GERMANY - EARLY EVENING
MATCH CUT TO projection of the image from the flyer.
JULIAN
When I was a grad student in
Melbourne, I began thinking about
information. How it flows through
people and society...
PULL BACK to find Julian with his laptop at a podium.
To one side of the stage, THE NEXT SPEAKER sets up a few
deconstructed X-BOX 360s beside a CORKBOARD covered with
exhibits for his talk: 'Deconstructing Xbox 360 Security.'
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
...and how, when new information
comes to light, it can bring about
great change.
Daniel, also on stage, watches as Julian pulls out a WAD of
TWINE, moves to the corkboard.
The X-Box guy looks up, CONCERNED, as Julian wraps the twine
around a PUSH PIN holding up part of the X-Box exhibit,
STRINGING THE TWINE to another pin holding up another part.
Julian POINTS to the two pins and the twine. ILLUSTRATING.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
Two people and a secret. The
beginning of any conspiracy, of all
corruption. As it grows...
Daniel watches, RIVETED, as Julian STRETCHES the twine to
another pin. And another. And another...
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
More people... and more secrets.
CLOSE ON THE BOARD as Julian RAPIDLY RUNS TWINE AROUND PINS,
ensnaring more of the exhibit in his web. It's MESMERIZING.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
But. If we can find one moral man,
one whistleblower...
Julian focuses on a PIN at the CENTER of his web of twine.
CLOSE ON THE PIN as he LOOPS MORE TWINE AROUND IT...
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
Someone willing to expose these
secrets --
Julian PULLS THE TWINE TAUT... then YANKS THE CENTER PIN...
PULLING THE TWINE SO THAT ALL THE PINS POP OUT OF THE BOARD.
THE FLYERS FALL, SCATTERING ALL AROUND JULIAN.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
That man... can topple the most
repressive of regimes.
Julian pins a WIKILEAKS FLYER on the NOW EMPTY CORKBOARD.
X BOX GUY
Was zur hoelle!
JULIAN
And there's the problem.
Retribution.
X BOX GUY
Otto, my talk is in ten minutes.
The X-Box guy, PISSED, looks to Otto who's with a CUTE
HACKER GIRL in back of the EMPTY AUDITORIUM, maybe A DOZEN
HACKERS.
OTTO
Okay, we're done here.
Otto glares at Daniel, who would be embarrassed, if he
weren't so focused on Julian. Julian keeps going, oblivious.
JULIAN
Whistleblowers are afraid to come
forward because they fear
retribution. What if we could take
that fear away?
Otto moves to stop Julian, but the hacker girl, INTRIGUED,
reaches out to STOP HIM. Otto frowns as Julian continues.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
Twenty years ago I got my first
modem and joined a legion.
Cypherpunks fighting for freedom,
for privacy -- for the right to
remain concealed in clouds of code.
Julian hits his laptop. NUMBERS and CODE appear on screen.
It's not the most advanced graphic you've ever seen.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
Today's hackers take it for
granted, but they surf the net in
peace thanks to the turf wars we
fought. And the crypto --
ON SCREEN, the numbers and code fade a bit, revealing the
outline of a person. Again, the graphic is AMATEUR, but it
gets the point across... the person is hidden in code.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
The programs we created to hide
data, to hide our identities --
even then I knew this technology
could be the key to a whole new
form of social justice.
(then)
We could expose a thousand dark
secrets if we could keep just one.
ON SCREEN, the graphic morphs into the WIKILEAKS WEBSITE.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
Hundreds of volunteers work on the
documents we're sent, but we've
honed our technology to the point
that even I don't know the identity
of our sources.
Julian, ENERGIZED, talks like he's speaking to a huge crowd.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
If no one knows the whistleblower's
identity, he has nothing to fear.
And if he has nothing to fear...
Julian taps a laptop and WIKILEAKED DOCUMENTS appear on the
screen: a MILITARY CRACKDOWN in ZAMBIA... CORRUPTION IN
SOMALIA... TOP SECRET U.S. DOCUMENTS on GUANTANAMO BAY.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
As Oscar Wilde said, man is least
himself when he talks in his own
person. Give him a mask and he will
tell you the truth.
INT. BCC, LOBBY - BERLIN, GERMANY - NIGHT
THE X-BOX GUY apologizes to a crowd at the auditorium door.
X-BOX GUY
(O.C.)
Sorry, it's going to be a few
minutes. We had some... technical
difficulties.
DANIEL
Cool talk, huh?
Daniel walks out of the auditorium with Otto, whose arm is
around the hacker girl.
OTTO
No, not cool. People anonymously
sharing secrets, isn't that why we
tore down the wall?
Julian joins with his gear.
JULIAN
Believe me, no one's interested in
your secrets.
(to Otto's girlfriend)
Yours on the other hand...
She blushes, CHARMED. Otto, THREATENED, pulls her off.
DANIEL
Great talk, shame turnout wasn't
better.
Julian's still watching Otto's girl, who smiles back at him.
JULIAN
One convert at a time.
Daniel laughs, pulls out his 24c3 FAHRPLAN.
DANIEL
By the way, I can soup up those
graphics if you want. From the end
of the talk?
JULIAN
What's wrong with the ones I have?
DANIEL
Nothing. I'm sure they would have
blown people away in the eighties.
Again, Julian considers Daniel... who holds out his
FAHRPLAN.
DANIEL
(CONTINUED)
You want to check out the talk on
Microcontrollers? I hear the guy
who invented TV-B-Gone is speaking.
(off Julian's BLANK look)
It's a remote, you walk into a bar,
you can turn off all the TVs and...
Daniel reads Julian's contempt, WILTS a little.
DANIEL
(CONTINUED)
...I guess it's kind of stupid.
JULIAN
No, it sounds interesting. But...
don't you find it tiring? Spending
time with all these wankers?
Daniel grows still. He LOVES these wankers. Or did, until
just now. Julian pretending not to notice, leans in --
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
Look at them. Useless idiots,
cracking X-Boxes, building antennae
out of Pringles cans, probably
spending all their free time
reading Neuromancer and playing
Call of Cthulhu. What a waste.
Daniel BLANCHES. Julian's just described HIM.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
Capable generous men, men of
purpose- we need to seek nobler
inspiration.
(then)
Come on.
Julian flashes a SEDUCTIVE SMILE then races out the door.
As Daniel follows on his heels, we SMASH TO --
EXT. ALONG THE RIVER SPREE - BERLIN, GERMANY - NEAR MIDNIGHT
Government buildings loom, modernist sculptures along the
river. Two figures race down a street, one checks his watch.
JULIAN
Shit! We've only got twenty
minutes! Come on!
Julian rushes ahead, Daniel chasing after him as we CUT TO
--
EXT. GLASS BUILDING - BERLIN, GERMANY - NEAR MIDNIGHT
Daniel, out of breath, catches up to Julian, as he
approaches a HUGE GLASS GOVERNMENT BUILDING, all lit up.
JULIAN
The guard goes on break at
midnight.
Julian eyes his watch, slips into the building. Daniel,
INTRIGUED, follows.
We watch through the glass as they race up the STAIRCASE,
towards a BRIDGE OVERHEAD...
EXT. BRIDGE - BERLIN - NIGHT (CONTINUOUS)
Julian and Daniel run onto the bridge. Julian, GIDDY, slides
across the last few yards, coming to a stop in the middle.
DANIEL
Wow.
Daniel pulls up beside Julian, STARING at a CRAZY VIEW of
THE REICHSTAG, it's MAJESTIC GLASS DOME shining in the
moonlight.
JULIAN
A government destroyed by tyranny
then rebuilt with a dome of glass
so the whole world could look in.
There's an ideal to aspire to.
Julian turns, gestures the other way. THE ENTIRE CITY
stretches before them, it's TOTALLY FUCKING SPECTACULAR.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
Just look at it, Daniel. Reborn
from the ashes -- a city once ruled
by fascists, now overrun with
artists and anarchists and
sunlight... transparency...
Daniel reacts. He looks to Julian, INSPIRED.
DANIEL
My father took me to see the dome
when they first built it. I was 13.
He wasn't quite so eloquent.
JULIAN
When I was 13, my mother started
dating a guy who was part of a
nasty Australian cult. The Family.
They believed in blue auras and
cleansing souls and had a
surprisingly large network of
influence, extending to the highest
levels of government. My mum knew
the guy was a wanker, but by the
time she came to her senses they'd
had a kid together and... we spent
the next three years on the run.
The Family chased us all over the
country.
DANIEL
(beat)
Jesus. That's terrifying.
JULIAN
Why do you think my hair's white?
Julian's straight faced. Is he serious? Before we can hazard
a guess, an ALARM BLARES. Julian spots TWO GUARDS heading up
the staircase towards the bridge.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
Shit! Abandon ship!
Julian, LAUGHING, GRABS Daniel, pulls him the other way...
EXT. TACHELES - BERLIN, GERMANY - NIGHT
A cathedral-like building with a mural: 'HOW LONG IS NOW?'
Julian and Daniel approach the building.
DANIEL
It's called the Tacheles, it's an
artists' squat. They were gonna
tear it down in the 90s, but some
painters occupied it.
JULIAN
That's cool.
They walk through the gate and we CUT INTO --
EXT. TACHELES, ARTISTS' GARDEN - BERLIN, GERMANY - NIGHT
A garden of AVANT-GARDE METAL SCULPTURES and IRIDESCENT
PAINTINGS. We hear techno music drifting down from above.
FIND a Boccioni style PORTRAIT OF A MAN staring out at us...
JULIAN
(O.C.)
Pretty great, isn't it?
Julian stands in front of a canvas with Daniel. Daniel nods.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
Now look closer, beyond the image,
past the colors... until you've
found the element that unlocks the
portrait, the single brushstroke
that reveals the essence of the
painting, of the painter.
(then)
To me that's what hacking is.
Finding that stroke, that code,
that tiny point of entry...
Julian looks at Daniel. Looking for his point of entry?
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
I should get to work.
Abruptly, he heads for the building. Daniel checks the time.
DANIEL
Now?
INT. TACHELES, STAIRWAY - BERLIN, GERMANY - NIGHT
Julian sprints up the stairs, calling out...
JULIAN
Life on the run, Aussie jet lag,
you stop distinguishing between
night and day.
Julian brushes past exiting club goers, knocking a GREEN
HAIRED TATTOO QUEEN into... Daniel, struggling to keep up.
DANIEL
Uh, excuse me.
The woman gives Daniel a LOOK as he slips past her.
INT. TACHELES, UPSTAIRS CLUB - BERLIN, GERMANY - NIGHT
More AVANT-GARDE ART and ECCENTRICS moving to MELLOW
ELECTRONICA. Daniel finds Julian opening his laptop at one
of the TABLES in the corner. Daniel sits and follows suit.
DANIEL
So... what are you working on?
Julian lowers his laptop screen, scrutinizing Daniel.
JULIAN
Look, today was fun, but these are
sensitive documents, people's lives
are at stake.
DANIEL
You can trust me.
JULIAN
Can I?
Julian eyes an ANARCHIST TATTOO, a BLACK CAT on Daniel's
arm.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
When I was your age I called myself
an anarchist too. But do you really
want to change the world, Daniel?
Or is that just some sticker you
wear to look cool.
Daniel's surprised at Julian's SUDDEN CHANGE IN TONE. It's
tough, CONFRONTATIONAL, like the tone he took with Otto.
DANIEL
I mean, I've read Orwell,
Kropotkin, some Chomsky. 'The
burden of proof has to be placed on
authority.' You know, all animals
are equal.
Julian eyes him, impassive, not responding.
DANIEL
(CONTINUED)
That's Animal Farm? Maybe you've
read it.
Daniel gives him a little smile. It's endearing. Julian
takes it in... and makes a DECISION. Julian flicks on a
CELLULAR MOBILE ROUTER and starts TYPING ON HIS LAPTOP. A
CHAT BUBBLE appears on Daniel's laptop.
CLOSE ON CHAT: ircs://chat.wikileaks.org/
Daniel, mystified, glances at Julian then clicks the link.
A CHAT WINDOW appears on his computer. Julian TYPES.
jjj: we talk in here.
Daniel, getting it, leans forward and TYPES. [NOTE: CHAT
APPEARS ON OUR SCREEN, LIKE SUBTITLES].
ddd: it's secure? encrypted?
jjj: yes. and quiet.
Daniel SMILES. They start TYPING in QUIET CONVERSATION.
jjj: there's a new leak on the
submission platform.
ddd: the submission platform?
Daniel looks up at Julian. Julian smiles, mysterious...
jjj: In my twenties, I created a
tool called Rubberhose...
And suddenly, we SMASH INTO --
INT. INTERNET - NIGHT
A UNIVERSE OF DATA. A DOCUMENT moves at great speed through
an infinite abstraction of facts, figures, information...
jjj: It hid sensitive information
beneath layers and layers of fake
data. Wikileaks is based on the
same idea...
...and whenever we move close to the document, it's suddenly
PROTECTED, wrapped in a multi-layered SMOKESCREEN OF DATA...
jjj: We constantly upload fake data
from fake sources to make it
impossible to monitor our real
sources...
...the document slides down through WORMHOLES of data...
jjj: Their very presence is
infinitely deniable.
...FLITTING AWAY from us as we catch up to it...
jjj: We keep no records as to when
or where you uploaded from, your
time zone, your browser...
...the document slips through what feels like the inside of
the internet, until at last we SMASH TO --
THE SUBMISSION PLATFORM - NIGHT (SAME TIME)
A door opens and a document lands on a FLOOR OF SAND.
jjj: The system makes leaks
untraceable.
They simply turn up on the submission platform.
PULL BACK to find THOUSANDS OF DOORS line walls of a space
receding to infinity. WELCOME TO THE SUBMISSION PLATFORM.
A SURREALISTIC VISION, Julian's romantic view of journalism.
ROWS of STEEL DESKS set in sand, a different COMPUTER on
each, FLUORESCENTS hanging oddly above. Behind the doors, we
hear the SOUND OF AN OCEAN. In front, find...
Julian with Daniel, at their Tacheles table. Daniel, taking
it all in, spots a few OCCUPIED DESKS. Glowing monitors
obscure faces, but we see NAME PLATES. J LIM. T BELLMAN.
A beat, then Julian nudges Daniel. A STACK OF DOCUMENTS sits
in front of one of the doors. Daniel looks at them, maybe
noticing a JULIUS BAER LOGO on the front page. He TYPES.
ddd: who's it from?
JULIAN
(V.O.)
I have no idea.
INT. TACHELES, UPSTAIRS CLUB - BERLIN, GERMANY - NIGHT
Julian smiles at Daniel.
JULIAN
See the beauty of it?
He nods to his laptop, a doc with THE SAME JULIUS BAER LOGO.
jjj: ever hear of Julius Baer?
ddd: it's a big Swiss Bank, right?
And now, we SMASH TO --
EXT. JULIUS BAER BANK - ZURICH, SWITZERLAND - EARLY EVENING
The grand neoclassical facade of BANK JULIUS BAER.
jjj: huge. manages $100 billion for
the ultra rich.
We PUSH past the large logo, through a window into --
INT. JULIUS BAER BANK - ZURICH, SWITZERLAND - EARLY EVENING
The rich, traditionally decorated LOBBY of BANK JULIUS BAER.
BANKERS in wealthy suits greet obscenely wealthy CLIENTELE.
jjj: wealthy assholes in Germany,
Switzerland, UK...
A POV SHOT walks us out of the lobby and into...
A HALLWAY OF WOOD CUBICLES, THICK DOORS. The bankers pass
us, leading their clients down the hall.
ddd: the leak is from someone
inside the bank?
jjj: think so, my associate Jay Lim
is working the docs.
The POV SHOT FOLLOWS the bankers and their clients into...
A POSH CORNER OFFICE. We see a stack of DOCUMENTS on a TABLE
beside a WHITE BOARD with a SHELL COMPANY DIAGRAM.
jjj: we think they show how the
bank uses offshore secrecy laws to
hide $$ for fat cats.
PAN AROUND THE TABLE TO FIND Daniel and Julian sitting
there, looking from the documents to the WHITE BOARD
DIAGRAM.
WAITRESS
(O.C.)
Guten tag.
SMASH BACK TO THE TACHELES
Julian and Daniel stare at the WHITE BOARD DIAGRAM, now on
Julian's laptop. A WAITRESS with a NOSE RING smiles at them.
Julian SLAMS SHUT his laptop, paranoid, HOSTILE.
WAITRESS
(CONTINUED)
(smile fading, bored)
Let me guess. Secret plans for the
revolution?
EXT. TACHELES - BERLIN, GERMANY - NIGHT
Julian walks out of the cathedral-like building, TAPPING on
his computer, a MEMORY STICK in the USB slot.
DANIEL
So it's tax evasion.
REVEAL Daniel following behind, carrying all the bags.
JULIAN
On a grand scale. How secure is
your computer?
DANIEL
GELI full disk encryption with two
factor authentication.
JULIAN
Good. Unlike most reporters, we
verify our sources. Jay and our
volunteers in Switzerland will
analyze the docs, but I need you to
confirm they're real.
Julian pulls out the MEMORY STICK, holds it out to Daniel.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
The meta data should list the
authors. Extract it and verify
these people work at the bank.
Julian's warm, but Daniel STARES at the memory stick.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
What? Did you think we just threw
what we got up on the website?
DANIEL
No, but.. you're just giving me the
docs?
JULIAN
You said I could trust you.
DANIEL
(mans up, takes the
stick)
You can.
JULIAN
I know. I'm a good judge of
character.
Julian flashes a smile then grabs his things, heads off.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
Stay off the internet when working
on the docs. And buy yourself a
cryptophone.
INT. JULIUS BAER BANK - ZURICH, SWITZERLAND - DAY
A familiar hallway. A phone RINGS, breaking the silence.
FIND a FORMIDABLE ASSISTANT in a cubicle outside the posh
corner office. She picks up the phone.
ZILKE'S ASSISTANT
(INTO THE PHONE)
Julius Baer, Ralf Zilke's office.
INTERCUT WITH:
INT. EDS, NINTH FLOOR STORE ROOM - BERLIN, GERMANY - DAY
CLOSE ON Daniel, cryptophone to his ear.
DANIEL
(INTO THE PHONE)
I'm sorry, I must have the wrong
extension. What division is this?
ZILKE'S ASSISTANT
This is Personal Wealth Management.
Who were you looking for?
REVEAL Daniel in small closet filled with cleaning SUPPLIES.
He sits on an overturned MOP BUCKET, a document on his lap.
DANIEL
Sorry, I was actually looking
for...
Daniel eyes TWO LAPTOPS crammed on a shelf. On one, the
WHITE BOARD DIAGRAM. On the other, a window of META DATA
with A TIME STAMP and a LIST OF AUTHORS, Ralf Zilke and...
DANIEL
(CONTINUED)
...Leisal Grop.
ASSISTANT
Ms. Grop is down the hall in Client
Services. Can I transfer you?
DANIEL
Yes, please. Thank you.
Daniel waits a beat... then HANGS UP THE PHONE. He pulls out
a pencil, looks down at the document on his lap.
CLOSE ON a marked up LIST OF NAMES. Daniel CHECKS OFF Zilke
and Grop, begins writing down their divisions when...
The STORE ROOM DOOR OPENS BEHIND HIM.
ANKE
Daniel? What are you doing in here?
Daniel turns. Anke is in the door. Just then, one of his
computers BEEPS. A chat pops up.
TBellman: Daniel, I'm Thomas
Bellman, WL's Swiss spokesman.
Julian said you're working on the
bank docs?
ANKE
(CONTINUED)
Daniel, what's going on?
Daniel looks from the computer to Anke, AWKWARD.
DANIEL
I'm doing some.. sensitive
research.
The laptop BEEPS again. Daniel, UNCOMFORTABLE, turns to it.
TBellman: Daniel? Have you
confirmed authorship of the docs?
Anke is CURIOUS. Daniel TYPES, tries to block her view.
ddd: The authors are all bank
employees... THE DOCS ARE REAL.
As he finishes, a FLURRY OF CHAT pops up on screen --
JayLim: Hey, is Julian plugged in?
jjj: Hoi. Just landed. What's up?
JayLim: Our source agreed to
explain the docs, can anyone get
to Liege-Guillemins in Belgium by
4pm?
TBellman: Daniel's in Germany,
that's not too far.
JayLim: Is he up for it?
jjj: I think so... if he's not too
busy sucking off THE CORPORATE
OVERLORDS :P
INTERCUT WITH --
THE SUBMISSION PLATFORM - DAY (SAME TIME)
Brightly lit monitors obscure faces but the nameplates are
now familiar. J LIM, T BELLMAN, J ASSANGE...
Julian PEEKS OUT from behind his monitor, smiles at Daniel.
ANKE
(O.C.)
Is this some kind of geeky, hacker
version of Dungeons and Dragons?
SMASH BACK TO THE EDS STORE ROOM
Daniel turns, sees Anke LOOKING OVER HIS SHOULDER. He
quickly shuts his laptop. Then, TRYING TO IMPRESS --
DANIEL
We're investigating corruption in a
large swiss bank.
Anke BLINKS, intrigued... a political side to Daniel.
ANKE
Well, in that case, I can cover for
you.
Off Daniel, a HINT OF A SMILE --
EXT. LIEGE-GUILLEMINS TRAIN STATION - LEIGE, BELGIUM - DAY
The Calatrava marvel. It's EERILY EMPTY... as we FIND DANIEL
walking up the platform, texting on his phone.
CLOSE ON THE TEXTS
Daniel Berg: at the train station,
where's our guy?
A beat then...
Thomas Bellman: Le Chat Noir.
Heavyset, brown suit.
Daniel starts walking inside. His phone BUZZES, He checks
it.
Thomas Bellman: WATCH YOUR BACK.
Daniel pauses, looks over his shoulder. A few travelers,
nothing out of the ordinary... until from HIS POV WE SEE a
HARD LOOKING BALD MAN leaning against a wall, STARING at
him.
Is he WATCHING Daniel? Or is it in Daniel's head? Daniel,
NERVOUS, pulls up his coat, hurries onward...
INT. LE CHAT NOIR CAFE - LIEGE STATION, BELGIUM - DAY
CLOSE ON a thick hand, SHAKING, nervously paging through a
document with more diagrams like the one we saw above.
DANIEL
(O.C.)
(in whispers)
Our team has been having trouble...
the diagrams are a bit
impenetrable.
REVEAL HANS, 40s, SWEATING in the rail station cafe. He and
Daniel sit at a table. Talking in HUSHED TONES.
HANS
They're meant to be. They reveal
the bank's most intimate secrets.
(passionate, intense)
I worked for these assholes for
years before I understood the
extent of the deception. It's a
massive tax dodge.... last year,
those diagrams cheated your country
alone out of 30 billion in tax
revenues.
DANIEL
And you'll explain them to us?
HANS
(nervous)
You understand I won't just be
exposing the bank. They have
hundreds of clients -- wealthy,
powerful clients from New York to
Moscow who will go to great lengths
to hold on to their money.
Just then, Daniel spots a BALD MAN at the bar. Shit, it's
the guy from the platform. Daniel TENSES, tries to cover.
DANIEL
We understand the risks.
But Hans follows Daniel's gaze to the bald man... watching
them. Hans looks NERVOUS. Daniel struggles to project calm.
DANIEL
(CONTINUED)
We've got incredible infrastructure
and hundreds of volunteers, people
who've dealt with threats like
this. Our process is totally secure
-- we don't even know your real
name.
HANS
You're damn right.
A WOMAN joins the man at the bar. Hans, anxiety
dropping...
HANS
(CONTINUED)
I'll explain the documents, but you
don't know me, you never met me and
when the shit comes down, it's on
your house. Are we clear, Mr...
Daniel eyes a SIGN on the wall. A black cat, 'LE CHAT NOIR.'
DANIEL
Schmitt. Daniel Schmitt.
Off Daniel's ADRENALINE RUSH, we hear a SHRILL WHISTLE --
EXT. LIEGE-GUILLEMINS TRAIN STATION - LEIGE, BELGIUM - NIGHT
The station's arch glows above Daniel in the dark night.
Daniel, WIRED, glances furtively at other travelers.
DANIEL
(INTO THE PHONE)
The bank has a huge network,
they've got billions of dollars
buried in the Caymans.
INTERCUT WITH:
EXT. NAIROBI, KENYA - DAY
A smog filled street. ANCIENT MINIVANS, THRONGS of PEOPLE.
Nairobi, Kenya
We PUSH IN on a DILAPIDATED BUILDING and PRELAP --
JULIAN
(OVER THE PHONE)
This is absolutely colossal.
INT. KENYAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS - NAIROBI - DAY
A shabby OFFICE, a few HUMAN RIGHTS POSTERS. Julian helps
two Kenyan human rights activists (OULA and KINGARA) hand
out PICKET SIGNS to VOLUNTEERS. He talks on a cryptophone.
JULIAN
(INTO THE PHONE)
We're gonna nail these bastards.
Daniel warily looks at the passersby. No sign of the bald
man from inside, but Daniel's still ON EDGE.
DANIEL
(INTO THE PHONE)
You know, our friend was pretty
jittery.
JULIAN
(INTO THE PHONE)
Of course he was.
On Daniel, cold comfort.
OULA
Hey, Julian, let's go.
Oula, SCAR on his cheek, beckons to Julian -- they're
heading out. Julian looks at his sign: 'ANOTHER WORLD IS
POSSIBLE.'
JULIAN
(INTO THE PHONE)
How fast can you get Bellman a
summary?
DANIEL
(INTO THE PHONE)
I'll stay up until it's done.
JULIAN
(INTO THE PHONE)
Good. Remember, Daniel, courage is
contagious.
Daniel reacts as a train WHISTLES again, the sound fading
into a PIERCING TELEPHONE RING --
INT. JULIUS BAER BANK - ZURICH, SWITZERLAND - DAY
CLOSE ON a RINGING PHONE. A hand reaches in and we REVEAL
the assistant we met earlier, as she picks up.
ZILKE'S ASSISTANT
(INTO THE PHONE)
Julius Baer Bank, Ralf Zilke's
office
As she listens, her expression changes and we CUT TO --
INT. JULIUS BAER, ZILKE'S OFFICE - ZURICH - DAY (SAME TIME)
A SILVER-HAIRED BANKER (ZILKE) works in a posh corner
office, noblesse oblige in a BRIONI SUIT. He reaches for a
pen when--
ZILKE'S ASSISTANT
(O.C.)
Mr. Zilke?
Zilke looks up.
ZILKE'S ASSISTANT
(CONTINUED)
I'm sorry, I just got an odd call
from the tech department. They said
there's a report on this website...
it's posted some of our files. I
sent you the link.
Zilke eyes her, then turns to his COMPUTER. He clicks an e-
mail link and up pops THE WIKILEAKS SITE with a DOCUMENT:
CLOUDS ON THE CAYMAN TAX HEAVEN -- THE JULIUS BAER
DOCUMENTS: How the Swiss Bank hides Millions for your
favorite fat cats.
Below, a FAMILIAR DIAGRAM. ZILKE SEES IT AND GOES WHITE.
ZILKE
Get me Gregor. And wake up our
lawyers in London, in New York, in
California...
INT. EDS, NINTH FLOOR STORE ROOM - BERLIN, GERMANY - DAY
Daniel back on his mop bucket, staring at two laptops on the
shelf. On one, a THREATENING E-MAIL from Julius Baer
lawyers.
ANKE
And I thought grinching the
printers was impressive.
Daniel turns and finds Anke standing over him with a print
out of the Julius Baer doc. She eyes his computer.
ANKE
(CONTINUED)
Their lawyers are threatening you?
DANIEL
Julian says you can spend your life
in cushy cubicles or you can march.
You can brave the truncheons and
breathe the tear gas or --
ANKE
Take a girl to dinner?
An INVITATION. Daniel smiles.
INT. DANIEL'S APARTMENT - BERLIN, GERMANY - NIGHT
CLOSE on Anke, asleep, NAKED under a cheap coverlet. We hear
TAPPING on a keyboard. Anke stirs, blinks up at the CHAOS
COMPUTER CLUB POSTERS over the bed.
Anke smiles, turns to see... Daniel at a messy desk, tapping
on his laptop and pulling on his jeans.
ANKE
Hey.
Daniel, distracted, TRIPS and FALLS. Anke LAUGHS.
ANKE
(CONTINUED)
Sorry, I've just never had a guy
try to sneak out of his own
apartment.
DANIEL
The bank got a judge in California
to shut down our primary domain.
He nods to his LAPTOP. A WEB BROWSER points to wikileaks.org
but the site is down: THE REQUESTED PAGE IS UNAVAILABLE.
ANKE
A judge in California?
DANIEL
It's where our domain is
registered.
ANKE
Right, but I thought Americans put
free speech up there with mom and
apple pie.
DANIEL
So did we. Julian wants to meet up
right away.
Daniel throws his laptop in his backpack then pauses.
DANIEL
(CONTINUED)
You know this isn't what I imagined
for our first... get together.
ANKE
How often did you imagine it?
Daniel smiles, CAUGHT. He grabs his bag.
DANIEL
You don't have a cryptophone do
you?
ANKE
No, but that may be the best excuse
I've ever heard for not calling.
They trade a SMILE and we SMASH TO --
INT. BERLIN TEGEL AIRPORT - BERLIN, GERMANY - NIGHT
Julian glides down a people mover, TAPPING his phone. As he
does, e-mail SCROLLS UP THE SCREEN:
Friends - Solzhenitsyn says no one
can bar the road to truth.
Wikileaks.org has been forcibly
shut down but you can still learn
the truth about Julius Baer on our
mirror sites. Send press to
http://wikileaks.be,
http://88.80.13.160 --
As Julian glides along, typing, we SMASH TO --
INT. STRASSENBANH BERLIN TRAM - BERLIN, GERMANY - NIGHT
Daniel rides the tram talking on his cryptophone.
DANIEL
...blogs, twitter, they're
defrauding the world, we can't let
them cover it up...
As the tram lurches forward, we see TWITTER FEED start to
scroll up the LEFT of the screen...
EthanZ Walk the road to truth!
http://wikileaks.be Mlsif Break the
bank! Send press to 88.80.13.160
The twitter feed CONTINUES TO SCROLL and we SMASH TO --
EXT. ALL NIGHT CAFE - BERLIN, GERMANY - NIGHT
Julian walks into an all night cafe, hauling his bags.
JULIAN
We never thought we'd need extra
servers to fight censorship
attacks--
INT. ALL NIGHT CAFE - BERLIN, GERMANY - NIGHT
Julian walks into the dingy cafe.
JULIAN
(INTO THE PHONE)
...from the bastion of free speech.
Julian sees TWO OPEN LAPTOPS, a few empty bottles of Club
Mate... and DANIEL, on the phone. Daniel doesn't see him.
DANIEL
(INTO THE PHONE)
...I sent links to our mirror
sites, if you can post...
Daniel spots Julian, lowers his phone. WARM --
JULIAN
More fun making history than
reading about it?
Daniel smiles. A NICE MOMENT... until Daniel's laptop BEEPS.
A news alert, WIRED.COM: ACLU, EFF, HEARST FILE BRIEFS IN
SUPPORT OF WIKILEAKS CASE. They spring back into action.
DANIEL
(INTO THE PHONE)
...Yeah, and there's a new Wired
blog you should post as well...
Julian pulls out his laptop as TWITTER FEED TAKES US TO --
EXT. CITYSCAPE - BERLIN, GERMANY - DAWN
Dawn breaks over Berlin. We hear Julian --
JULIAN
(PRELAP)
Yes, of course, we're pleased the
EFF and the ACLU are behind us...
INT. ALL NIGHT CAFE - BERLIN, GERMANY - DAWN
The sun rises over EMPTY BOTTLES, COFFEE CUPS... Daniel and
Julian each have two laptops, still going strong. Julian
talks on the phone, eats hummus with his finger.
JULIAN
(INTO THE PHONE)
...but the court of public opinion
has already ruled in our favor.
Daniel's computer BEEPS again as SITE NOTIFICATIONS start to
SCROLL UP the RIGHT OF OUR SCREEN, opposite twitter feed...
www.largeleaker.de is now pointing
to 88.80.13.160
www.screwthebank.com is now
pointing to 88.80.13.160
DANIEL
Some french hackers donated
domains.
Daniel shows Julian his laptop. Julian lowers his phone,
wipes his hummus finger on his pants. Daniel notices.
JULIAN
Send the links to Bellman, he'll
blast the list serve.
Daniel reaches forward to type and we SMASH TO --
THE SUBMISSION PLATFORM - DAWN (SAME TIME)
Half the monitors are lit, DOZENS OF VOLUNTEERS working
away.
Daniel opens a CHAT BOX and we RACK FOCUS TO A DESK. We note
the nameplate, T BELLMAN.
We CUT BEHIND THE DESK --
Daniel's CHAT pops up on Bellman's MONITOR. As he reaches
forward, TWITTER FEED and URLs SCROLL UP our SCREEN. And if
it's OVERWHELMING, that's what we're going for.
SMASH TO--
INT. GUARDIAN, BULLPEN - LONDON, ENGLAND - NIGHT
ALAN RUSBRIDGER and IAN KATZ (from the OPEN) review a row of
one sheets tacked to the wall -- TOMORROW'S PAPER.
ALAN RUSBRIDGER
Move the US primaries to page three
to make room for the Diana inquest.
NICK DAVIES
Yes, Diana still sells papers. 21st
century churnalism at its finest.
Rusbridger and Katz turn to find NICK DAVIES (also from the
OPEN), all looks and charm in an out of date leather jacket.
NICK DAVIES
(CONTINUED)
Can't afford reporters? Grab a
story off the wire, give it a
little scrub and drop it in your
paper.
(mock smells the print)
Just the kind of quality journalism
I left Oxford to pursue.
IAN KATZ
This how you're chatting up the
totty in your golden years?
NICK DAVIES
I certainly can't impress them with
stories that've been rattling round
the mainstream media echo chamber.
The women I meet are smart enough
to know what they're missing out
on.
IAN KATZ
I assume you're going to tell us
what that is?
NICK DAVIES
I'll leave that to Mr. Assange and
his merry band of programmers.
He hands them a printout of another tech blog from WIRED.
Alan glances at the headline: 'WIKILEAKS VS. GOLIATH.'
As Alan reads, a GOOGLE NEWS SEARCH scrolls over him, UP THE
SCREEN, REPLACING THE TWITTER.
EXT. KREUZBERG STREET - BERLIN, GERMANY - NIGHT
A VIBRANT TURKISH CAFE in an polyglot neighborhood... oddly
set against a backdrop of blocky West German architecture.
Our GOOGLE SEARCH scrolls up the screen and we MATCH CUT
TO--
INT. TURKISH CAFE, KREUZBERG - BERLIN, GERMANY - NIGHT
A LAPTOP with the Google News Search.
Wikileaks is still live, and
kicking THE GUARDIAN - 6 hours ago
Judge Shuts Down Site, Raises
Constitutional Issues NEW YORK
TIMES - 3 hours ago
Freedom of Speech has a number -
88.80.13.160 CBS NEWS - 30 minutes
ago
A mouse CLICKS on the CBS story, which OPENS in a window...
next to OPEN STORIES from the Times and the Guardian.
DANIEL
(O.C.)
The Guardian, The Times, CBS... are
all linking to our mirror sites.
REVEAL Daniel with Julian in a mostly EMPTY cafe, surrounded
by coffee cups and NEWSPAPERS with JULIUS BAER HEADLINES.
DANIEL
(CONTINUED)
(reading the article)
The Bank's injunction has brought
an obscure group of dreamers to
prominence, paradoxically
generating more attention for their
apparently uncensorable leaking
machine...
Daniel and Julian are HAGGARD, it's plain they haven't slept
in days, but they're both FLYING. Daniel scans the paper...
DANIEL
(CONTINUED)
And the bank's clients may now face
prosecution in Germany, the US...
(thrilled)
Jesus, can you believe it? Actual
justice for those assholes.
Just then Julian's laptop BEEPS. He reads, STUNNED.
JULIAN
Wow. The judge pulled the
injunction. We're back online.
He pulls up wikileaks.org on his laptop. Daniel is FLOORED.
DANIEL
Holy shit. We won!
Julian is proud, but Daniel's OVER THE MOON.
DANIEL
(CONTINUED)
We took down a billion dollar bank!
This is crazy, we have to
celebrate!
JULIAN
...sure, we should order some
beers.
DANIEL
I mean with everyone. Bellman and
Jay Lim and all the others. This
was a team effort, we should get
everyone up on Skype or something.
JULIAN
I don't know. It's... late.
DANIEL
I just got an e-mail from Bellman.
And Jay was on chat 15 minutes
ago..
(then)
What? You think Skype isn't secure?
Julian hesitates. Considering SOMETHING. Then --
JULIAN
No... it's probably time for you to
meet everyone face to face.
Daniel smiles, pulls up Bellman's account and Jay's. Julian
watches, PENSIVE... as Daniel INITIATES the VIDEO CALLS.
We hear the SKYPE RING on Daniel's computer and INTERCUT
WITH --
THE SUBMISSION PLATFORM - NIGHT (SAME TIME)
ANGLE ten desk rows deep, CAMERA behind a dozen volunteers,
Daniel and Julian at the cafe table in the distance.
A few monitors LIGHT UP WITH SKYPE CALLS. As volunteers lean
forward to answer, WE HEAR an ANSWER CHIRP and Daniel's face
pops up in a couple of screens.
SMASH BACK TO --
DANIEL IN THE CAFE, staring at his laptop. CONFUSED.
DANIEL
I don't get it, it says I called...
Daniel looks at Julian, something DAWNING.
SMASH TO --
A SUBMISSION PLATFORM DESK. Nameplate: T BELLMAN. DOLLY
AROUND the monitor on the desk... REVEALING JULIAN.
SMASH TO ANOTHER DESK.
Nameplate: J LIM. DOLLY AROUND this monitor... Julian again.
He looks up, coy.
SMASH BACK TO --
DANIEL IN THE CAFE. TWO SKYPE BOXES OF JULIAN on his screen.
DANIEL
(CONTINUED)
You're Jay and Bellman?
(unnerved)
How many volunteers do we have?
JULIAN
Hundreds.
SMASH TO THE SUBMISSION PLATFORM
DOLLY AROUND A SERIES OF DESKS/COMPUTERS IN RAPID
SUCCESSION. Each time, we find Julian at the computer.
THEN WE PULL BACK TO THE FRONT OF THE ROOM... an infinite
number of Julians peek out from the infinite monitors.
JULIAN
(O.C.)
(CONTINUED)
We have hundreds of volunteers.
SMASH BACK TO THE CAFE
Daniel's pale. He stares at Julian.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
What? I have hundreds of e-mail
addresses.
DANIEL
That's not the same th--
Julian puts a finger to his lips, WARILY eyes a waiter. HE
grabs his pack, moves to the back. Daniel follows.
JULIAN
Every startup exaggerates its size.
No one's going to leak sensitive
material to two freaks with a
single server.
DANIEL
We only have one server?
JULIAN
Not as far as the rest of the world
is concerned.
(then)
Castro began a revolution with 82
men. It doesn't matter how small
you are if you have faith and a
plan of action.
But Daniel is STUNNED...
DANIEL
I told dozens of reporters... our
source at Julius Baer...
JULIAN
Necessary fictions. If Julius Baer
knew they were up against an army
of two...
DANIEL
What, they'd 'rub us out?' They're
a bank, not the mob.
JULIAN
Then why have you been using an
alias?
(pressing)
Come on, Daniel. It's just a hack,
an inelegant solution.
DANIEL
I have a hundred friends I could
call, people who would be happy to
help. This is bullshit.
Daniel turns away, pissed. A beat. Then Julian GRABS his
backpack and RIPS IT OPEN...
ANGRILY, VIOLENTLY pulling out LAPTOPS, POWERCORDS,
CLOTHING; SINGLE SERVINGS of CANNED FRUIT, GLASS JARS of USB
STICKS...
JULIAN
...where is it, where the hell...
Daniel turns, stunned, as Julian pulls out WIRELESS ROUTERS;
SOCKS, SHOES, NOTEBOOKS... until at last he finds...
A SMALL PIECE OF PAPER. Newsprint. Folded and soft with age.
He THRUSTS it at Daniel. Daniel blinks, confused.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
Open it.
Daniel hesitates, then unfolds it.
CLOSE ON an old newspaper article.
May 1995. LEAD 'SUBVERSIVE' TO STAND TRIAL FOR 31 COUNTS OF
HACKING.
Beside the headline, a MUG SHOT of a younger Julian -- a
long ponytail and a defiant expression.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
There were three of us. Mendax,
Trax, Prime Suspect, three boys
with cartoon names, off on a series
of harmless adventures,
'Subversives' one and all.
But when the Federal Police finally
caught up with us, Trax pled guilty
and Prime Suspect -- he turned
Crown Witness against me.
(beat)
I remember waiting for the verdict
in this little room, walking in
figure eights like some demented
bee, imagining life in a tiny cell.
The stress, that was... actually
the moment my hair turned.
Daniel takes this in. A beat, then internal, wounded --
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
You don't get far in this world by
relying on others. People are loyal
until it seems opportune not to be.
And now Julian reaches out. Vulnerable.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
The tyrants we're up against have
money and men and guns and I don't
have an army to fight them. All
I've got is a website and a couple
of fake e-mail addresses and...
you.
Off Daniel, YIELDING, we HEAR a recording --
L. RON HUBBARD
(PRELAP, ON VIDEO)
The only way you can control people
is to lie to them.
EXT. ANTWERP CONVENTION CENTER - ANTWERP, BELGIUM - DAY
The SUN sets over the GORGEOUS BUILDINGS of OLD ANTWERP.
A HUGE BANNER stretches across the CONVENTION CENTER:
'GLOBAL VOICES CITIZEN MEDIA CONFERENCE -- ANTWERP, BELGIUM
-- 2008.'
INT. ANTWERP CONVENTION CENTER - ANTWERP, BELGIUM - DAY
A table COVERED with WIKILEAKS NEWS CLIPS. Some are old ('US
investigates Julius Baer') but many are new. US MILITARY
MANUALS, a PROTEST RIOT IN TIBET... the clips mostly in
small, alternative papers. Julian and Daniel have been BUSY.
L. RON HUBBARD
(O.C., ON VIDEO)
The only way you can control
anybody is to lie to them.
JULIAN
He founded the damn religion.
Gobsmacking isn't it?
FIND Julian and Daniel streaming video of Hubbard for a few
reporters, their HUMBLE BOOTH dwarfed in a vast room filled
with MORE IMPRESSIVE DISPLAYS of old and new media ventures.
GERMAN REPORTER
(off the Hubbard video)
This is on your site?
DANIEL
We're streaming it now. See, there
are links to all our fresh leaks.
Daniel shows him another laptop. The site is rudimentary, a
column of analysis and a column of FRESH LEAKS including...
JULIAN
People need to see how they treat
their members. The memos on their
'introspection rundowns' -- forced
isolation, regulation of meals...
FRENCH REPORTER
Six Apart would love a piece on
this, you have a French spokesman I
can follow up with in Paris?
NICK DAVIES
Like watching a young Woodward and
Bernstein...
Nick Davies and Ian Katz walk up in GUARDIAN PRESS PASSES.
JULIAN
The hallowed Guardian gracing us
with their presence?
Julian starts to move towards them but the French reporter,
pad out, is in his way. Brusquely pushing past --
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
Would you mind?
The reporter is offended. Daniel, used to this, jumps in...
DANIEL
Our associate Jay Lim is based in
Paris. Can I give you his e-mail?
PAN OFF the mollified reporter to Nick shaking Julian's
hand.
NICK DAVIES
Hustling for a story, trying to get
the world to pay attention, I
almost wish I were working for him.
JULIAN
The way they're sacking
journalists, you might not have a
choice.
IAN KATZ
Sounds like you want to put us all
out of business.
JULIAN
I want you to do your job. If you
can't, someone needs to pick up the
slack.
IAN KATZ
Is that what you're doing? Anyone
can take a bundle of information,
toss it up on a website and call it
news. But people buy our papers for
something a little more discerning.
JULIAN
They're still buying your papers?
NICK DAVIES
Gentlemen, we're all on the same
team.
(to Ian)
It's the samizdat of our day, Ian,
a new nervous system for the
planet.
Ian considers the Scientology video... which FREEZES.
IAN KATZ
Looks like his nervous system's a
bit twitchy.
JULIAN
10,000 hits an hour does that to
you. How's your website doing?
Nick LAUGHS. But as he and Ian exit, Julian's smile FADES.
Daniel joins him.
DANIEL
We're down again. We need to add
servers.
JULIAN
Yes, that's the downside to selling
truth for free. No money.
DANIEL
(considers, then)
...I've got a few thousand euros
saved up. Bet that'd get us a half
dozen machines on eBay...
Julian reacts, a little surprised.
DANIEL
(CONTINUED)
Are we not inspired, men of
purpose? Capable, generous men?
Julian SMILES BROADLY and we --
INT. EDS (ELECTRONIC DATA SYSTEMS) - BERLIN, GERMANY - DAY
Daniel's cubicle. A mess as before. Exactly as before.
Daniel's supervisor stands at the door. IRRITATED.
ANKE
(INTO THE PHONE)
I thought you were coming back
today.
REVEAL Anke, on her phone, a few cubicles away. CONCERNED.
INTERCUT WITH:
EXT. ROOFTOP, HERTZ PARKING STRUCTURE - BERLIN - DAY
Daniel, on the phone, stands by a RENTAL MERCEDES STATION
WAGON, filling out a form. Julian is in the car, door open.
DANIEL
(INTO THE PHONE)
Little detour. Why, do you miss me?
At EDS, Anke eyes Daniel's Supervisor, who walks towards
her.
ANKE
No, but our friend Andreas seems
to.
DANIEL
Andreas is a wanker.
ANKE
...and my sister was looking
forward to meeting you.
DANIEL
Shit. I forgot.
ANKE
She'll understand, she's an
understanding person. Fortunately
for you, so am I. But Andreas...
DANIEL
Tell him I'm still sick.
ANKE
(for Andreas' benefit)
Pneumonia? Is it serious?
DANIEL
Very. See if your sister's free for
dinner on Friday.
ANKE
By Friday, I'll want you to myself.
Daniel smiles, hangs up and hands the form to a RENTAL
AGENT.
RENTAL AGENT
Where'd you say you were going?
JULIAN
We didn't.
Julian GLARES at the agent. Daniel gets in.
PUSH INTO --
INT. MERCEDES (PARKED/MOVING) - BERLIN, GERMANY - DAY
Daniel slips behind the wheel and starts the car. Julian
stares at the rental agent and starts to SUCK ON A RAW
LEMON.
JULIAN
Nosy prick.
DANIEL
He was being friendly.
JULIAN
Servers are vital organs, if people
know where they are...
DANIEL
No one's going to know where they
are, he was just being friendly.
JULIAN
I'm telling you, he was acting
weird.
Daniel stares at Julian's lemon. He was acting weird?
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
What? I need some vitamin C. Have
you seen how pale I am?
An ODD BEAT... then Julian SMILES. He's joking.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
You're looking a bit pale yourself,
young man. Maybe you should have
one.
Julian playfully tosses a lemon at Daniel who SMILES...
EXT. BERLIN STREET/INT. MERCEDES (MOVING) - BERLIN - DAY
Still smiling, Daniel drives out of town. He casually checks
the REARVIEW... as a BLACK BMW falls in and begins to follow
close behind. Julian sees Daniel's smile FADE.
JULIAN
What?
DANIEL
Probably nothing...
But Julian sees him peering into the rearview. FREAKED --
JULIAN
Someone's following us?
Julian looks back just as Daniel makes a HARD RIGHT, POPPING
THE CAR up on the curb. Julian SLAMS against the door.
JULIAN
(O.C.)
(CONTINUED)
Shit!
Daniel struggles with the wheel, barely managing to get the
car back on the road. He glances again at the rearview...
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
Did you lose him?
DANIEL
Yeah.. no, shit, I think that's
him.
As Daniel guns the engine, Julian FLIES OUT OF FRAME...
JULIAN
(O.C.)
I think I'm going to vomit.
Music takes us through a SERIES OF QUICK SCENES --
EXT. DANIEL'S APT - BERLIN, GERMANY - DAY
Daniel rushes out of his apartment, carries a server to the
Mercedes and tosses it in the trunk beside six others.
Julian, waiting, hastily throws a TARP over them.
As Julian and Daniel jump into the car and take off, we
SMASH TO --
EXT. MERCEDES (MOVING) - AUTOROUTE - OUTSIDE PARIS - NIGHT
The Mercedes FLIES towards the SKYSCRAPERS of LA DEFENSE.
EXT. MERCEDES (PARKED) - A DATA CENTER - PARIS, FRANCE -
DAWN
Julian and Daniel crouch behind the car, holding a SERVER.
The data center door cracks and A SKINNY FRENCH HACKER
beckons ANXIOUSLY.
As they RUSH towards him, SMASH TO --
INT. MERCEDES (MOVING) - FRENCH COUNTRYSIDE - DAY
Julian works on his laptop, struggling to stay awake. He
considers, then reaches for a Club Mate and takes a sip...
It's disgusting. Julian looks at Daniel, CHUGGING IT. Wide
awake. As Julian FORCES HIMSELF to take another sip...
EXT. MERCEDES (MOVING) - OUTSIDE ZURICH - NIGHT
The car races twards the twin spires of the GROSSMUNSTER.
EXT. MERCEDES (PARKED) - A DATA CENTER - ZURICH - NIGHT
Old town. Daniel, Julian with a server, banging on a DOOR,
nervously looking around. The door cracks, they rush in...
EXT. JULIUS BAER BANK - ZURICH, SWITZERLAND - EARLY MORNING
JULIUS BAER SWISS HQ. The Mercedes rolls into frame. Daniel
and Julian hop out, shouting and GIVING THE BANK THE FINGER.
JULIAN
Screw you, assholes!
DANIEL
Suck my tax paying German weiner!
They JUMP AROUND, CELEBRATORY, as we SMASH TO --
INT. MERCEDES (MOVING) - AUTOBAHN - GERMANY - NIGHT
Daniel clings to the wheel, EXHAUSTED.
DANIEL
Can you pass me a...
Daniel looks over... Julian's WIRED, typing on his laptop,
polishing off the last Club Mate.
Music fades as we PRELAP --
JULIAN
(PRELAP)
Doesn't look like a data center.
EXT. MARCUS' FARMHOUSE - SOMEWHERE IN GERMANY - DAY
A WORKING FARM. Julian eyes the sleeping cows. Daniel opens
the trunk of the Mercedes, pulls out a case of Club Mate.
MARCUS
You know the way to my heart
Daniel.
Daniel turns, sees Marcus in the farmhouse door.
He smiles --
INT. MARCUS' FARMHOUSE - SOMEWHERE IN GERMANY - DAY
A LARGE BARN, PACKED with SERVERS. TECH HEAVEN. Marcus walks
in, leading Julian and Daniel who carry a server. Julian
looks around, blown away.
MARCUS
(off the server)
Hook that up next to the other old
IBMs. And take any tags off it -- I
don't want to know which one it is.
They set the server down. Daniel starts hooking it up as
Marcus cracks open a Club Mate.
DANIEL
You're protecting us from yourself?
MARCUS
Plausible deniability is never a
bad thing. Especially when there
might be jackboots at the door.
JULIAN
(impressed)
A man who understands security.
MARCUS
Just following in the tradition of
some excellent hackers. One in
particular who went by this curious
name, something out of Horace... in
parentum splendide Mendax.
It's Julian's hacker name. He looks up, GUARDED.
MARCUS
(CONTINUED)
The way Daniel talks, I suspected
an illustrious past. So I did some
digging. Hacking Nasa? Impressive.
And Milnet...
DANIEL
You hacked the US Defense Network?
Daniel's intrigued. Julian LAUGHS, guard dropping.
JULIAN
That was a long time ago. There
were dozens of back doors, it
wasn't all that difficult.
MARCUS
Delightfully deceiving, like his
name. And your 'robust'
infrastructure.
He looks at Julian, whose smile fades.
MARCUS
(CONTINUED)
Any leet hack could see your tech
was junk. Good thing you're adding
servers.
JULIAN
(dismissive, looks out
the window)
Mmm. So the cows... do you milk
them yourself?
INT. HERTZ PARKING GARAGE - BERLIN, GERMANY - EARLY MORNING
A TRUNK OPENS on a CASE of EMPTY BOTTLES. Daniel grabs them.
Julian sits on the car hood, working on his laptop.
JULIAN
He can do some coding, but I don't
want him on the primary server.
DANIEL
Marcus just wants to get involved.
He's a bit of a legend in the club.
He could be a big help.
JULIAN
People with that much experience
tend to have minds of their own.
ON DANIEL. Something about that bothers him. But before he
can comment --
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
Holy Shit.
(staring at his laptop)
The Scientology video is generating
a ton of new traffic... we've got
half a dozen new leaks. A nuclear
cover up in Iran, a list of British
National Party members.
Daniel, intrigued, looks over Julian's shoulder.
DANIEL
Jesus, it's thousands of neo-nazis,
right in the heart of London...
RENTAL AGENT
2100 kilometers? Where were you?
They turn. The rental guy STARES at the ODOMETER.
JULIAN
Mind your own business.
DANIEL
None of your goddamn business.
WE HEAR the sound of A DOOR SWINGING OPEN and we SMASH TO --
THE SUBMISSION PLATFORM - DAY
A STACK of DOCUMENTS as it drops just beyond an OPEN DOOR.
The door closes and we REVEAL the long LINE OF DOORS. A few
open, STACKS OF DOCUMENTS tossed into the room...
We see NUCLEAR SYMBOLS on an IRANIAN REPORT; a GERMAN SECRET
SERVICE document labeled TOP SECRET; FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS
from the KAUPTHING BANK in Iceland... it's MESMERIZING.
As we watch we notice a familiar WHINE.
FAINT ELECTRONICA pulls us through the sea of empty desks
to...
A LONE OCCUPIED DESK. Docs, Club Mate bottles and a
NAMEPLATE: D SCHMITT.
DOLLY AROUND to find Daniel in headphones, hunched over a
laptop. He POUNDS away to thumping music. PLUGGED IN.
SUPERVISOR
(O.C.)
Daniel?
Daniel keeps typing as we SMASH TO --
INT. EDS, NINTH FLOOR STORE ROOM - BERLIN, GERMANY - DAY
Daniel, headphones on, plugged in, hunched over a laptop...
eyeing a list, members of the BRITISH NATIONALIST PARTY.
REVEAL DANIEL'S SUPERVISOR in the door, peering past Daniel
at the WIKILEAKS ICON on his screen. PISSED. Daniel turns,
HOLDS his gaze then TURNS BACK TO HIS LAPTOP.
INT. EDS, NINTH FLOOR - DANIEL'S CUBICLE - BERLIN - DAY
CLOSE ON Daniel, who finishes what he was doing then closes
his laptop. As he tosses it in his backpack we PULL OUT and
see HIS DESK IS EMPTY, his things packed up in a few BOXES.
Anke walks in, grabs a box. Daniel grabs the other, exits
past his supervisor, who shakes his head.
SMASH BACK TO--
THE SUBMISSION PLATFORM - NIGHT
Daniel walks in, drops the box on his desk and sits back
down to work. As he types, the CAMERA SPINS.... EMPTY CLUB
MATE BOTTLES and TAKE-OUT CONTAINERS piling up as time
passes...
At last, Daniel pauses, picking up a copy of THE GUARDIAN.
ANKE
(O.C.)
Daniel?
Daniel keeps reading. We see the paper over his shoulder:
BNP MEMBERSHIP LIST NAMES POLICE OFFICERS AND OFFICIALS.
ANKE
(O.C.)
(CONTINUED)
Daniel.
Now Daniel hears her. He rubs his eyes and we're in --
INT. DANIEL'S APARTMENT - BERLIN, GERMANY - NIGHT
Same computer, now in Daniel's bedroom. A WIKILEAKS WAR
ZONE. Documents, newspapers, bottles everywhere. Daniel
surveys the carnage then stands, carrying THE GUARDIAN into
--
THE LIVING ROOM. A table set for a ROMANTIC DINNER, a VOTIVE
burning low, Anke passing time on a laptop with OPEN DATA
STICKERS (EFF, FSF, CC). Daniel walks in, kisses her cheek.
ANKE
You're alive.
DANIEL
And starving.
He hands Anke the paper then picks up a knife, starts to
carve the roast on the table. He serves Anke...
DANIEL
(CONTINUED)
The British press is going nuts
over the National Party member
list.
Anke looks less than enthusiastic, but Daniel doesn't
notice. He makes himself a plate and sits.
DANIEL
(CONTINUED)
People are donating money. Not a
lot, but some. And we keep getting
more leaks. Toxic dumping in Ivory
Coast, corruption in Kosovo...
Daniel takes a bite, pauses, trying not to make a face.
ANKE
What? You don't like it?
DANIEL
No, it's delicious. Just a little
cold.
ANKE
Yes, it's been sitting there for an
hour.
DANIEL
(ah)
Sorry. I didn't hear you.
(then)
You could have gotten me. Anke?
ANKE
It's just the addresses I don't
get.
DANIEL
...sorry?
ANKE
The National Party members. I mean,
those people should be exposed, but
you published their personal
information. Phone numbers, home
addresses...
DANIEL
They were in the document.
ANKE
Yes, but why not cut them out?
Those people have families,
children... someone could get hurt.
DANIEL
Editing reflects bias. Our sources,
people on the site, they trust us
cause we don't screw with the docs.
As Julian says, a free people must
have knowledge.
ANKE
Or as Orwell says, Big Brother is
watching.
DANIEL
(beat)
Is this cause I stayed in on
Friday?
ANKE
I couldn't care less about Friday,
I had a perfectly good time with
Nik and Claudia, despite the fact
that Nik tried to get me to go home
with him again.
(off Daniel's look)
Don't look so concerned, he bores
the shit out of me.
DANIEL
Maybe that's what you want.
ANKE
(don't do that)
I'm the one who told you to quit
your job. And I'm glad you did. I'm
just saying that if you're gonna
nail yourself to a cross you should
probably know what it's made of.
DANIEL
I'm not nailing myself to a cross.
Anke raises an eyebrow. Daniel looks down, notes his own
disheveled appearance.
DANIEL
(CONTINUED)
But I guess I could use a shower.
Care to join me?
Daniel smiles, suggestive. Anke softens.
ANKE
Do you even remember the last time
we had sex?
DANIEL
I'm sure I'll remember the next
time.
He kisses her. A hint of Julian.
ANKE
So goddamn clever.
DANIEL
It's a little clever.
He moves in, PULLS A STRING at her back. Her dress SLIPS to
the floor. She smiles, despite herself.
SMASH TO --
THE FLOOR. A CHAIR FALLS as Daniel pulls Anke down.
ANKE
Cold floor.
DANIEL
We can go into the --
ANKE
No. I like it.
Sexy. Things start to get even sexier when... Anke FREEZES.
ANKE
(CONTINUED)
Did you hear that?
Daniel looks at her confused when... THUMP. Daniel FREEZES.
ANKE
(CONTINUED)
Was that the door?
THUMP THUMP. Shit. WHO THE FUCK IS THAT?
ANKE
(CONTINUED)
You weren't expecting anyone?
DANIEL
No.
Daniel TOTALLY FREAKED, reaches up, KILLS THE LIGHTS.
ANKE
Neo-nazis wouldn't knock, right?
Anke, NERVOUS, grabs her dress as Daniel picks up a heavy
WIRE CUTTER. SHAKING, he peers past the Tibetan flag he
uses as a blind... and then RELAXES.
DANIEL
Jesus.
Anke confused, watches him open the door... JULIAN blows in.
DANIEL
(CONTINUED)
Weren't you in Australia?
JULIAN
I thought it best not to telegraph
my movements. By the way, you
should take your name off the door.
Julian sits at the table, not bothering to acknowledge Anke
as she pulls her dress on. Daniel glances at Anke, TORN.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
When was the last time you were
online?
Julian pulls out his laptop, pushes the roast out of the
way.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
There's a new expose from the
Kenyan National Coalition on Human
Rights.
Julian shows Daniel the computer. Daniel can't help himself.
DANIEL
They've got evidence that Kenyan
police are running death squads?
JULIAN
Friends of mine wrote the report,
Kibaki is trying to bury it, we've
got to get it up on the homepage.
Daniel hesitates. Now?
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
It details hundreds of murders,
major human rights violations--
it's like exposing Chile under
Pinochet. (he starts typing, then)
You have any of that disgusting
energy drink? Could be a long
night.
Daniel heads into the kitchen. Julian notices Anke, still
wrestling with her dress.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
I'm sorry, did I interrupt
something?
He's both CAVALIER and LEWD.
Anke REACTS and we CUT TO --
Daniel walking in with two Club Mates. The front door SLAMS.
Anke. Shit.
EXT. DANIEL'S APT - BERLIN, GERMANY - NIGHT
Daniel runs out of his apartment, chasing after Anke.
DANIEL
Anke. Come on.
He catches up to her, reaches for her arm.
ANKE
We were having sex! I was half
naked!
Daniel looks down. She shakes her head.
ANKE
(CONTINUED)
Did you invite him to Paris, too?
Because he's really not my type.
DANIEL
I didn't invite him. Anke, please.
Come back inside. It's late.
ANKE
Then tell him to go.
DANIEL
What?
She looks at him. Simple. Direct.
ANKE
You want me to come back inside,
tell him to go.
DANIEL
I... Anke, he's got nowhere else to
stay.
ANKE
Well, I do.
She turns and walks off.
INT. DANIEL'S APARTMENT - BERLIN, GERMANY - NIGHT
Daniel walks in, numb. He stands there for a moment, then
notices Julian... WEARING A SUIT JACKET.
DANIEL
Is that my suit?
JULIAN
I'm working on a press release on
the Kenyan death squads, I needed
something to match the gravity of
the occasion.
Julian reaches for the roast, PICKING at it WITH HIS
FINGERS. Daniel blinks. This is who he's following into the
abyss?
Upset, Daniel grabs the roast and walks it into the kitchen.
Agitated, he starts to wrap up the roast.
JULIAN
(O.C.)
(CONTINUED)
I have a son in Melbourne, you
know.
Daniel turns. Julian stands in the doorway.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
He turns 19 next week, I haven't
seen him in a year.
Julian pulls out his wallet, shows Daniel a picture.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
It takes two things to change the
world. You'd be surprised how many
people have ideas. But commitment,
true commitment, that's the hard
one. It requires sacrifice.
Daniel, stirred, stares at the photo of Julian's son.
DANIEL
What's his name?
JULIAN
Daniel. His name is Daniel.
Off Daniel, reacting --
TELEVISION (REAL FOOTAGE) - RUV
An anchor. Gray haired and GRAVE [in Icelandic, subtitles].
ANCHOR
We lead tonight with the collapse
of the Kaupthing bank. Due to a
court injunction, we can't bring
you the whole story. But there is
an organization that can. You'll
find them at Wikileaks.org.
As the WIKILEAKS URL flashes on screen we CUT TO --
INT. EGILL HELGASON'S TV SHOW - REYKJAVIK, ICELAND - DAY
CLOSE ON HOST EGILL HELGASON, on his Icelandic TV News show.
EGILL HELGASON
Iceland was bankrupted by the
Kaupthing, but we wouldn't know it
if not for my guests tonight.
Helgason turns to Daniel and Julian, beside him. We notice
that Daniel has STARTED GROWING A BEARD...
EGILL HELGASON
(CONTINUED)
You've done so much for our
country, how can we show our
thanks?
JULIAN
Protect free speech. Strengthen
your laws, give activists in
countries without freedom of the
press a home. We have too many
offshore tax havens, we need more
offshore media havens.
Helgason starts CLAPPING. He's joined by more applause and
we PULL BACK to REVEAL the ENTIRE CREW CLAPPING WITH HIM.
EGILL HELGASON
(TO CAMERA)
How about it, Iceland?
On Daniel, THRILLED, the APPLAUSE SMASHES US TO --
EXT. ALTHINGI PARLIAMENT BUILDING - REYKJAVIK, ICELAND - DAY
An ICELANDIC TV CREW (RUV) interviews BIRGITTA JONSDOTTIR in
front of the imposing Parliament Building. A CROWD watches.
BIRGITTA JONSDOTTIR
Wikileaks is redefining the
public's right to information, I'd
like to add whatever legitimacy I
can...
The crowd CHEERS as we FIND TWO IDENTICAL BACKPACKS in their
midst. Julian and Daniel watch as Birgitta wraps up.
DANIEL
She's a Member of Parliament?
JULIAN
And apparently our new
spokesperson. Some animals are more
equal than others.
Julian smiles at Daniel as the music SMASHES US TO --
INT. ICELANDIC CLUB - REYKJAVIK, ICELAND - NIGHT
Birgitta stands at a bar with Daniel and a small crowd.
BIRGITTA JONSDOTTIR
Making Iceland a media haven, it's
an inspired idea.
Daniel smiles, sees Julian dancing with THREE HOT WOMEN
under a CHEAP DISCO BALL. Julian spreads his arms, calls to
him --
JULIAN
You need space for your ego to
flow.
Daniel smiles and starts dancing like Julian. Daniel's ON
TOP OF THE FUCKING WORLD.
THE MUSIC SWELLS as we SMASH TO --
INT. RUSBRIDGER'S OFFICE - LONDON, ENGLAND - NIGHT
PAPERS WITH WIKI-HEADLINES dropped one by one on a desk.
NICK DAVIES
The Iceland bank. The Natanz cover
up. Corruption in Kosovo, in
Kenya--
REVEAL Nick dropping the small, foreign paper clippings on
Alan's desk. Alan and Ian Katz eye the papers skeptically.
NICK DAVIES
(CONTINUED)
Great big scoops in tiny, local
papers, stories that could have
been picked up by the mainstream
press. It's an opportunity, Alan.
Off Nick, wry, the music SMASHES US TO --
EXT. CITYSCAPE - NAIROBI, KENYA - DAY
Third world gridlock, beat up cars inching their way through
squalid, downtown Nairobi. Beggars and vendors swarm.
KENYAN NEWS ANCHOR
(ON THE CAR RADIO)
..earlier this week Wikileaks
posted a human rights report
detailing...
We see a BEAT UP STATION WAGON and we --
INT. CAR (IN TRAFFIC) - NAIROBI, KENYA - DAY
FIND Oula and Kingara, the activists we saw with Julian
earlier. They're in traffic, FAMILIAR PICKET SIGNS in back.
KENYAN NEWS ANCHOR
(ON THE CAR RADIO)
...shocking police misconduct.
KINGARA
The Student Union wants to hold a
protest at the University next
week.
Oula, behind the wheel, is frustrated by the traffic.
OULA
Might take that long to get there.
Oula shoots a wry look at Kingara, who cracks a SMILE...
...but as he does, WE HEAR A POP. Oula STARTS, then stares
as BLOOD SPREADS ACROSS KINGARA'S WHITE BUTTON-DOWN SHIRT.
Oula reacts, TERRIFIED. FRANTIC, he reaches for the
door...
BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG! The car is RIDDLED WITH BULLETS.
Oula FLAILS then SLUMPS across the wheel. The horn BLARES...
...and we see BLOOD oozing over a folder on Kingara's lap,
over a SYMBOL for THE KENYAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS.
The horn's wail SILENCES the music and we FADE TO --
EXT. HACKING AT RANDOM - VIERHOUTEN, NETHERLANDS - NIGHT
AERIAL SHOT: a CAMPGROUND overtaken by an ODD HACKER CIRCUS
-- NEON WIRES snaking among dozens of HUGE, ILLUMINATED
TENTS.
HACKING AT RANDOM - VIERHOUTEN, NETHERLANDS
WE FOCUS IN on a BIG TENT with a HUGE WIKILEAKS FLAG.
DANIEL
(O.C.)
We've exposed death squads in
Kenya, an Iranian nuclear cover
up...
INT. HACKING AT RANDOM, WIKILEAKS TENT - NETHERLANDS - NIGHT
A MOB of REVELERS drink beer and smoke pot under BIG
MONITORS displaying the WIKILEAKS SITE. Large tables hold
PILES of Wikileaks NEWS CLIPPINGS and the latest leaked
docs/photos.
DANIEL
...in Iceland, the government has
taken over the Kaupthing bank...
Daniel stands in front of dozens of fans, including a CUTE
FEMALE REPORTER with a NOTEBOOK labeled WIRED.
DANIEL
(CONTINUED)
...and the 9/11 pager message leak
will have huge privacy
implications.
Daniel beams. It's INFECTIOUS... the reporter is SMITTEN.
WIRED REPORTER
Wired wants a longer piece, can you
make time for a one on one session?
DANIEL
Absolutely.
WIRED REPORTER
Great. Call me.
She hands him a CARD and exits, crossing with Marcus.
MARCUS
Look at you. With groupies.
DANIEL
She's a reporter.
MARCUS
She's certainly working an angle.
Daniel laughs. We hear the RING of a CRYPTOPHONE and follow
the sound past happy revelers to Julian, with Birgitta and a
few CUTE HACKER GIRLS.
Julian notices the cryptophone's RING, picks up --
JULIAN
(INTO THE PHONE)
This is Julian.
EXT. STREET - NAIROBI, KENYA - DAY
A crowd chants, SCREAMING, FIGHTING with police. A MAN in
the foreground presses a phone to his ear, WEEPING.
MAN
(INTO THE PHONE)
Julian... I have horrible news.
INT. HACKING AT RANDOM, WIKILEAKS TENT - NETHERLANDS - NIGHT
Julian GRIPS the phone, listening.
He PALES and we PRELAP --
KNN NEWS ANCHOR
(PRELAP, ON CLIP)
The victims, Oscar Kamau Kingara
and John Paul Oula had worked
closely with the Kenyan Commission
on Human Rights on a report
documenting...
INT. HACKING AT RANDOM, WIKILEAKS TENT - NETHERLANDS - NIGHT
CLOSE ON A MONITOR, a KNN CLIP of the crowd fighting police.
KNN NEWS ANCHOR
(ON CLIP)
...complicity of the Kenya police
in over 400 murders. The report
gained local notoriety after it was
published on the Wikileaks site...
REVEAL Birgitta and Marcus staring up at the screen. Julian,
VERY UPSET, hovers over Daniel, typing on a laptop.
JULIAN
This can't be some mealy mouthed
press release. Kibaki killed them,
the language needs to be stronger.
DANIEL
It's already pretty strong.
JULIAN
Give me the damn computer.
Julian, IRRITATED, takes over, pushing Daniel out of the
way. Birgitta sees how upset Julian is, leans in to comfort
him.
BIRGITTA JONSDOTTIR
This wasn't your fault. They left
their names on that report, they
wanted the world to know they stood
behind it. They knew the stakes.
Julian keeps typing, FRUSTRATED...
JULIAN
Yes, they wanted the world to know.
It's an astonishing story, we put
it on the front of the damn website
and we couldn't get a single paper
outside of Kenya to pick it up.
(then, upset)
We're not breaking though. They
were my friends and I... if we'd
gotten that report more publicity,
they'd have been heroes. Murdering
them would have had a political
cost, Kibaki wouldn't have dared.
DANIEL
He's a tyrant, Julian, I don't
think more publicity would have --
JULIAN
(turning on him, HARSH)
What the hell do you know about
publicity? Outside of self-
promotion? Sucking up to reporters,
it's disgusting.
DANIEL
The woman from Wired? I was
selling her a story.
JULIAN
Why don't you leave that to me.
Julian grabs the laptop, stalks off. Daniel stands, NUMB.
MARCUS
I wouldn't take it personally.
He's scared. You should be too.
DANIEL
(catching his tone)
Our operating system is secure, our
other sources are safe, we're okay.
Really.
Marcus doesn't look impressed.
DANIEL
(CONTINUED)
You think the site is vulnerable?
MARCUS
I think you're taking on Presidents
and Kings and kingpins -- people
who can afford to hire the kind of
Black Hats that get off on breaking
into a so called secure operating
system. And, believe me, if your
O.S. is anything less than secure,
it's not gonna take long for them
to I.D. the rest of your sources
and hunt them down... to say
nothing of what they'll do to you
and Julian.
(then, serious)
Ask for my help, Daniel.
Off Daniel, FREAKED, convinced Marcus is right --
EXT. STATE DEPARTMENT PLANE - SOMEWHERE OVER EUROPE - NIGHT
A plane arcs through the night sky.
CNN NEWS ANCHOR
(PRELAP, ON CNN)
...Wikileaks commemorated 9/11 by
publishing a half million pager
messages originally sent on the
tragic day.
And now WE SEE the letters, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. And on
the wing, the SEAL of the SECRETARY OF STATE.
PUSH INTO --
INT. STATE DEPARTMENT PLANE - SOMEWHERE OVER EUROPE - NIGHT
A small conference room with an empty video screen. Sarah
Shaw, on the phone, eyes a monitor broadcasting CNN.
CNN NEWS ANCHOR
(ON CNN)
Many have hailed the messages as a
fresh level of insight into 9/11, a
vital addition to our historic
record...
SARAH SHAW
(INTO THE PHONE)
Okay. Okay.
(pause)
Yeah. Keep your man on them.
Sarah HANGS UP. An OPEN FOLDER is on the table, a PROFILE OF
JULIAN. As she eyes it, an AIDE walks in.
AIDE
You wanted the Deputy NSA?
Sarah nods and the aide pulls up a SECURE VIDEO CONFERENCE.
On screen, we see SAM COLSON, 32, perennially impatient.
SAM COLSON
(ON THE VIDEO)
I thought if I sent you to Cairo I
might get a minute to myself.
INTERCUT WITH:
INT. WHITE HOUSE, SIT ROOM - WASHINGTON, DC - DAY
A LONG TABLE, several computers, TV monitors, military
display screens. Surprisingly quiet, a small skeleton crew.
SARAH SHAW
(ON VIDEO DISPLAY)
Turn on CNN.
Sarah is on a DISPLAY beside the long table... which is
empty, save Sam. He flips a TV to CNN, sees the 9/11 story.
SAM COLSON
This the site that skewered Palin?
SARAH SHAW
And the Iranian nuclear program,
Petroperu, Bank Julius Baer...
SAM COLSON
...right, we just indicted the
bankers. These guys have an agenda?
SARAH SHAW
Truth, justice... the American way.
(then, pointed)
They got the 9/11 texts from
someone monitoring the top pager
services.
Colson pauses as it DAWNS on him...
SAM COLSON
You think they got the leak from
us?
SARAH SHAW
The CIA's concerned, they've put a
man on it. And we think it's time
to get the Pentagon involved.
SAM COLSON
The Pentagon? This is a website,
right? Not a terror cell. Let me
call Justice.
Diplomat JAMES BOSWELL enters, cool and calm as in the OPEN.
SARAH SHAW
Justice will tell you there's a
first amendment issue. And even if
there weren't, the site has mirrors
outside the US, it's beyond the
law.
SAM COLSON
I don't even know what that means.
JAMES BOSWELL
It means information transfer is
too damn easy and we're not
prepared. Call the Pentagon, Sam.
Boswell ends the video conference.
SARAH SHAW
I had it under control.
JAMES BOSWELL
I know.
(sits, all business)
We're a half hour out of Cairo, you
want to brief me on this source?
SARAH SHAW
Sure.
Sarah reaches for a folder marked SECRET. She opens it, we
see a PHOTO: SIM SARNA from the open.
Off the photo --
EXT. BCC (BERLINER CONGRESS CENTER) - BERLIN, GERMANY - DAY
A FAMILIAR ROCKET by new signs: 26c3 - CHAOS COMMUNICATIONS
CONGRESS - HERE BE DRAGONS - DECEMBER 22ND, 2009.
ELECTRONICA HUMS and a LIGHT SNOW FALLS as we PUSH INTO --
MARCUS
(PRELAP)
The program code is a mess, the OS
has massive problems...
INT. BCC, LOBBY - BERLIN, GERMANY - DAY
The lobby is crowded with hackers registering for 26C3. In a
corner, Marcus huddles with Daniel, Birgitta and Julian.
MARCUS
...and there are ways to trace your
sources -- they aren't protected
nearly as well as you say they are.
JULIAN
(to Daniel, agitated)
You let him on the primary server?
DANIEL
He could have hacked it himself.
That's the point. We need help.
JULIAN
We need to be careful who we trust.
Julian glares at Marcus, it's awkward.
DANIEL
Julian, I've known Marcus for
years. We knew Birgitta all of five
minutes when you asked her to --
JULIAN
Yes, I asked her. I have experience
with these things, I don't make
mistakes. At least not usually.
The implication is clear. Daniel's STUNG. And UPSET.
DANIEL
We make a promise to our sources...
JULIAN
You made a promise to me.
Julian's angry. But more than that, he's HURT. BETRAYED.
OTTO, the volunteer from the last Congress, walks up.
OTTO
You might wanna get backstage, a
couple of guys are sniffing around,
real Patriot Act types...
Otto nods towards two blond men in suits by the registration
desk. WATCHING THEM. They're calm, PROFESSIONAL. The team
TENSES, Julian quickly packing up. Birgitta leans in --
BIRGITTA JONSDOTTIR
Daniel is right. You have real
enemies, no need to make ones up.
Julian considers as APPLAUSE and CHEERS take us INTO --
INT. BCC, MAIN AUDITORIUM - BERLIN, GERMANY - DAY
The room is the same as two years ago but the contrast is
ENORMOUS. A ROWDY CROWD of HUNDREDS cheer Julian and Daniel.
DANIEL
According to The Guardian we've had
more scoops in three years than the
Washington Post has had in
thirty...
Daniel clicks a pointer. A MAP OF THE GLOBE, leaks appearing
by country, a presentation more polished than any we've
seen.
DANIEL
(CONTINUED)
...we've exposed corruption in
dozens of countries...
Again, we see Julius Baer and Scientology, but there's also
the Petroperu oil scandal (Peru), the Natanz nuclear cover
up (Iran), and toxic dumping by Trafigura (Cote d'Ivoire)...
Daniel catches Julian's eye, a moment of shared amazement as
they realize how much they've accomplished. WE HEAR a LOW
HUM... PULL BACK... it's the AUDIENCE. ON ITS FEET.
CHEERING.
It's POWERFUL. As the cheering fades and the audience sits,
an EAST BERLIN WOMAN moves to a microphone in the aisle.
EAST BERLIN WOMAN
I grew up in the East. We... if we
even wrote a letter about a broken
sewer pipe, we were watched. Maybe
interrogated. Thrown in jail...
(her eyes welling)
I think, Mr. Assange, that if we'd
had someone like you... the wall
would have come down years before.
Hard to say whether it appeals to his vanity or his
altruism, but Julian is clearly moved.
JULIAN
Yes, security. That's the essence.
Security guaranteed by anonymity.
(working something out)
Of course, as much as you try to
protect, there will always be those
who seek to destroy. But we, we
make a promise to our sources...
Julian glances over at Daniel. An admission.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
...which is why we're continually
adding qualified partners to
strengthen our team.
(and then)
You can change the world with a
good idea... but you can't do it
alone. You need people... willing
to put themselves on the line.
Off Julian, looking at Daniel --
EXT. KAHN EL-KHALILI SOUK - CAIRO, EGYPT - DAY
Men and women barter in the crowded, ancient BAZAAR. We
notice a FALAFEL PLACE at the edge of the market...
SIM SARNA
(PRELAP)
I copied it from memory.
INT. FALAFEL RESTAURANT - CAIRO, EGYPT - DAY
CLOSE ON A HANDWRITTEN DIAGRAM of the Teller-Ulam NUCLEAR
BOMB... the same diagram as we saw in the Open.
SIM SARNA
They're testing the explosive in
the next six months.
REVEAL a tense SIM SARNA with Sarah at a corner table in a
dingy falafel place.
SARAH SHAW
Shit. We thought they were at least
three years away from a bomb.
A beat. It's grim.
SIM SARNA
I had such hope this summer. Even
after Mousavi lost and the Basij
broke up the marches, you could
still feel something in the air.
The protest letters, the 'death to
Khamenei' graffiti in the very
heart of Tehran, it was
unimaginable ten years go. But if
Khamenei gets the bomb, if he
succeeds...
Sim trails off, upset.
SARAH SHAW
You remember that New Years party
in Sharm el-Sheikh? I'd just
started my Fulbright, I had a bit
to drink --
SIM SARNA
A lot to drink --
SARAH SHAW
Shida begged you to go home but you
stayed. You hardly knew me.
SIM SARNA
Someone had to keep an eye on you.
And on that short Egyptian doing
the bad Omar Sharif impression.
She smiles. Then looks at him, POINTED.
SARAH SHAW
DC's a nice place to raise a child.
SIM SARNA
I thought you believed in reform.
SARAH SHAW
(she does, but...)
You have a family now. I want you
to do what's best for your family.
SIM SARNA
(beat)
You know, they say that if a boy is
not given a proper kebab before he
hits puberty he'll lose his
manhood. Tell me, where have you
had proper chelo kebab outside of
Sa'adat-abad?
(then)
Tehran is our home, Sarah. I am
doing what's best for my family.
Sarah reacts. A beat, then she notices a WAITER taking an
interest. Cool and professional, she changes the subject...
SARAH SHAW
...so how are Shida and the baby?
Off Sim, switching gears --
INT. BCC, MAIN AUDITORIUM - BERLIN, GERMANY - DAY
The aftermath of a very successful talk, a LARGE CROWD
hovers around Julian. Reporters, fans, groupies...
DER SPIEGEL REPORTER
We'd love a bio piece.
CUTE WOMAN
Julian, are you still taking
speaking engagements?
HACKER DUDE
How about in kind donations?
Routers, USB sticks...?
Julian moves up the aisle with his entourage.
JULIAN
Yes, yes, just e-mail Daniel.
BIRGITTA JONSDOTTIR
Jesus. Look at the PayPal account.
Marcus and Birgitta fall in with Julian, eyeing a
smartphone.
MARCUS
...it's thousands of euros. We can
upgrade servers, get new laptops...
JULIAN
Shall we find some mistletoe and
celebrate?
Julian smiles at Birgitta, IMPISH. She rolls her eyes.
DANIEL
I'll see you guys at the party.
Julian looks over, sees Daniel... with his PARENTS.
JULIAN
Mr. and Mrs. Berg. Daniel didn't
tell me you were coming.
Daniel clearly didn't know. He's less than thrilled.
DANIEL'S MOTHER
We kept reading about you in the
papers. Can you join us for dinner?
DANIEL
Julian's busy, I'm sure he can't --
JULIAN
(taking Mrs. Berg's arm)
I'd love to.
EXT. DANIEL'S PARENTS' HOUSE - OUTSIDE BERLIN - NIGHT
A small cottage in a sleepy suburb of Berlin.
DANIEL'S MOTHER
(PRELAP)
That was taken in Belgium.
INT. DANIEL'S PARENTS' HOUSE - OUTSIDE BERLIN - NIGHT
A cozy living room. Mr. Berg brings a coke to Julian, who
looks at one of many FRAMED PHOTOS on the mantle,
16-YEAR-OLD DANIEL in a JUDO ROBE, with a TROPHY and his
BEAMING PARENTS.
JULIAN
You all went?
DANIEL'S FATHER
I organized the competitions. We
traveled to Dusseldorf, Geneva...
DANIEL'S MOTHER
Remember that boy he beat in
Prague? He was so big.
Daniel and his mother walk in with cheese and bread.
DANIEL
She means he was fat. And slow.
Julian STARTS. There's a CAT. It HISSES at him.
DANIEL'S MOTHER
Schmitt. Leave him alone.
Julian looks at Daniel. The cat is named Schmitt? Daniel
shrugs as his father reaches for a stack of LOCAL PAPERS.
DANIEL'S FATHER
By the way, have you seen these?
DANIEL'S MOTHER
He's been keeping all your
articles.
DANIEL'S FATHER
There was this one piece on Julius
Baer in the FAZ. It was wonderful.
He pulls the paper out of the stack, holds it out to Julian.
JULIAN
We don't really bother with local
press.
DANIEL'S MOTHER
It's a national paper. It's so
impressive, what you've done.
Julian forces a smile, looks past the paper to the
BOOKSHELF. Kropotkin, Chomsky. He turns to Daniel's father.
JULIAN
That's some collection. Quite the
anarchist, hmm?
Daniel's father gives a small shrug.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
It's the oddest thing. I didn't
meet my biological father until I
was in my twenties. I walked into
his house and on the shelves,
Kropotkin, Kafka, Solzhenitsyn...
Julian pulls down the Kropotkin. Daniel and his parents
watch, frozen, as Julian stares at the book, OBLIVIOUS.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
...all the books it had taken me
years to discover on my own...
It's AWKWARD. Not knowing what to say --
DANIEL'S MOTHER
Perhaps you'd like to borrow one?
JULIAN
(tossing the book aside)
Where's the bathroom?
Daniel nods. Julian grabs his backpack and heads off.
DANIEL'S FATHER
He takes his backpack to the
bathroom?
DANIEL
(awkward)
Security.
But as he says it, Daniel catches a glimpse of a backpack...
and turns to see Julian HEADING OUT THE DOOR.
Off Daniel --
INT. TACHELES - BERLIN, GERMANY - LATER
Like two years ago, East Berliners of all sorts in the cafe
club. But unlike two years ago, Julian's SURROUNDED by WOMEN
and GROUPIES. He's holding court, soaking up the attention.
DANIEL
That wasn't cool.
Julian turns as we FIND Daniel. Standing there. Pissed.
JULIAN
Sorry, lost my appetite. You have
to admit, they're a bit
suffocating.
Julian heads for a table.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
You haven't picked up on that?
Well, I suppose we each have our
own unique way of looking at the
world. In fact, here's an
interesting one --
Julian pulls out the copy of WIRED UK from his backpack,
flips to the article. EXPOSED: WIKILEAKS' SECRETS.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
Did you see it, the new Wired
piece?
(reading)
Cofounder Daniel Schmit got
involved with Wikileaks prior to
launch.
Below the headline, there's a picture of Daniel. ALONE.
DANIEL
I didn't say that.
(off his look)
Julian, the reporter screwed up.
JULIAN
Maybe you're used to people
exaggerating your successes. But
while you were out winning judo
trophies with Mutti und Vati, I was
studying information systems in a
shitty squat outside Melbourne,
obsessing over code in a hot flat
in Paris, holding schizophrenic
meetings with myself: the Chairman,
the Secretary, sole volunteer and
founder of a website no one had
ever heard of. Including you.
DANIEL
(beat)
Lovely speech, are you done?
Daniel starts walking away. Julian calls out after him.
JULIAN
(off the Wired piece)
He adopted the nom de plume
'Schmitt' after his cat.
(then)
To think, I spent weeks reading
Horace searching for the right nom
de guerre. If only I'd had a cat.
Julian tosses the Wired article at Daniel, turns back to the
groupies. As Daniel stands there... a KID we might recognize
as ZIGGY, the 17-year-old from the OPEN, walks up to Julian.
ZIGGY
You're the leak guy, right? From
the Congress? You need volunteers?
JULIAN
We have hundreds of volunters...
but we can always use loyal
followers.
ZIGGY
Great. I'm Ziggy.
Ziggy enthusiastically shakes Julian's hand. Julian pulls
him in, eyeing Daniel... who turns to the bar, ORDERS A
DRINK. Daniel POUNDS it, then TURNS BACK.
He sees Ziggy and two hot women FAWN OVER Julian... As
Julian whispers something to Ziggy, Daniel orders another
drink. He POUNDS it, then TURNS BACK.
The group laughs with Julian... laughing at Daniel? As the
cute blond STARTS TO TRIM JULIAN'S HAIR, Birgitta leans
in...
BIRGITTA JONSDOTTIR
There's a reporter here from The
New Yorker? He says you agreed to a
profile?
Julian turns. A YOUNG INDIAN REPORTER waits in the door.
As Julian beckons him over, Daniel orders another beer.
Daniel POUNDS it, then TURNS BACK. He sees Julian, still
holding court, the reporter now taking notes...
JULIAN
I was divorced once. There was a
terrible custody battle.
REPORTER
...stressful?
JULIAN
Have you seen my hair?
Ziggy, packing up Julian's bag, looks up, AWE ON HIS FACE.
And for a brief moment HE LOOKS JUST LIKE DANIEL DID WHEN HE
MET JULIAN, no beard, no weariness in his eyes...
Daniel GRIMACES, POUNDS a last beer and we --
INT. TACHELES, STAIRWAY - BERLIN, GERMANY - NIGHT
Daniel hurries down the stairs, passing... Marcus, against a
wall, with a GROUPIE or two, DRUGGED OUT OF HIS MIND.
MARCUS
Hey man, five minutes, I just need
a cup of coffee, I'll be clear...
DANIEL
(pushing past him)
Don't worry about it.
MARCUS
But Julian wants me to drive you
guys to the airport.
DANIEL
Julian can go fuck himself.
He heads down the stairs to the exit.
Off Marcus, CONFUSED --
EXT. STATE DEPARTMENT PLANE - CAIRO INTNT'L AIRPORT - NIGHT
Diplomats walk up jetway stairs onto a LARGE 757 marked with
the SEAL OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT.
We PRELAP --
MILITARY PILOT
(OVER THE PA)
...should be a smooth flight
back...
INT. STATE DEPARTMENT PLANE - CAIRO INTNT'L AIRPORT - NIGHT
Diplomats board the plane. On a TV monitor, C-SPAN plays the
speech the Secretary gave earlier.
MILITARY PILOT
(OVER THE PA)
...to Washington this evening...
JAMES BOSWELL
You think this is good intel?
FIND Sarah seated with Boswell, looking over Sim's diagram.
SARAH SHAW
I've known Sim for twenty years, he
and his wife are like family to me.
JAMES BOSWELL
Write up a cable, I want everyone
on the Middle East Desk up to
speed.
Sarah nods, opens her laptop, pulls up the State Department
NET CENTRIC DIPLOMACY DATABASE. She starts TYPING.
PUSH IN ON THE CABLE. We see an ID NUMBER, a SUBJECT (IRAN:
NUCLEAR CAPABILITY REPORT), and a CLASSIFICATION (SECRET).
Type fills the TEXT FIELD: In a conversation with Iranian
physicist Sim Sarna (STRICTLY PROTECT)...
We HOLD ON the words STRICTLY PROTECT as we --
INT. ANKE'S APARTMENT, FOYER - BERLIN, GERMANY - NIGHT
The foyer of a familiar apartment, small but WARM. We HEAR A
WOMAN on the phone in another room. Just as we start to
recognize her voice, there's a KNOCK at the door.
Anke walks in cradling the phone. She looks at her watch,
surprised -- it's late, she clearly wasn't expecting anyone.
At the door, she peers into the peephole. Then REACTS. And
opens the door. Daniel stands with his bags. EXHAUSTED.
DANIEL
Hey.
He stands there, PRAYING she'll let him in. A beat, then
Anke reaches out, PUTS A HAND ON HIS CHEEK.
We CUT TO --
INT. ANKE'S APARTMENT, BEDROOM - BERLIN, GERMANY - NIGHT
CLOSE ON a finger tracing a HUGE WIKILEAKS TATTOO.
ANKE
Never thought I'd fall for a rock
star.
REVEAL Anke and Daniel, naked. Anke runs her finger over the
WIKILEAKS TATTOO that SPANS DANIEL'S BACK. Daniel smiles.
DANIEL
I think rock stars have cooler
tattoos. You should have heard
Julian...
(imitating him)
'Compensating for something?'
ANKE
I'd be happy to tell him you're
not.
DANIEL
(smiling, then)
I didn't care. It wasn't for him
anyway.
ANKE
He's an asshole, Daniel. He's a
manipulative asshole.
DANIEL
He must be. Why else would I have
given up everything I cared about.
A beat.
ANKE
I've got a new job, too.
(then)
We consult with the legislature...
push for transparency, citizen
participation...
DANIEL
(a smile)
Sounds familiar.
ANKE
Yes, but we try to work with
governments instead of terrorizing
them.
Ouch.
ANKE
(CONTINUED)
I did see your talk, though.
(off Daniel's surprise)
I spent the past year thinking
about you, I wanted to know if it
had been worth it.
He looks skeptical. But she reaches out to him.
ANKE
(CONTINUED)
What you've done, it's staggering.
Julian didn't create that alone.
The two of you, you're a team.
Sure, he's the mad prophet, there's
one at the heart of every
revolution. But that's why most of
them end badly.
(and then)
He needs boundaries, Daniel. He
needs a line. You're the line.
A beat. Daniel gives her a wry smile --
DANIEL
You know, I had this fantasy about
driving into the Alps and spending
a month naked in front of a fire...
ANKE
Close your eyes, I'll turn up the
heater.
As she moves to kiss him, we PRELAP --
NICK DAVIES
(PRELAP)
Investigative journalism is pricey.
INT. QUALITY HOTEL, MEETING ROOM - TONSBERG NORWAY - NIGHT
A small room of elite reporters. Nick Davies at a podium, a
banner above: 2009 SKUP INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM CONFERENCE.
NICK DAVIES
When papers get squeezed, it's
first to go. That's why providers
of first rate source material like
Wikileaks are so important.
IRRITATED REPORTER
Nick, is Assange ever going to
show?
NICK DAVIES
(glancing at his phone)
It seems he's been delayed.
JULIAN
Passport control is such a bore.
The room turns as Julian walks in with a number of BAGS.
JULIAN
(CONT'D)
(CONTINUED)
Apparently, they're not such fans
of first rate source material.
He gives the crowd a SMIRK.
As the crowd LAUGHS --
INT. BAR, QUALITY HOTEL - TONSBERG, NORWAY - NIGHT
Reporters fill a hotel bar. REINDEER PELTS on the walls.
JULIAN
There were CIA agents on my plane.
That's the real reason I was late.
FIND Julian at a table with Nick and an ATTRACTIVE FEMALE
REPORTER (ALEX LANG). Julian's flush, almost giddy,
embellishing for Ms. Lang. She eats it up.
MS. LANG
An international man of mystery.
NICK DAVIES
Yes, I've worked that line. Next
he'll tell us these 'spooks'
kidnapped his partner.
Julian stares BLANKLY at Nick.
NICK DAVIES
(CONTINUED)
The German fellow, Daniel. The
grounded one, who helps you
distinguish fact from fiction.
JULIAN
(to Ms. Lang, blithe)
We have hundreds of volunteers.
I can't keep track of them all.
MS. LANG
Well, do try to keep track of me.
She smiles at him, heads off to the ladies room. As Julian
watches her go, admiring, Nick changes tone...
NICK DAVIES
So, what is this new leak you're
sitting on? Must be big to have
piqued the CIA's interest.
Julian turns. Somewhat surprised --
JULIAN
You believe me?
NICK DAVIES
I didn't til I noticed your
friends.
Nick nods to TWO MEN in the corner, WATCHING THEM. Julian
BLANCHES. It's the BLOND SPOOKS from the BCC. He starts to
RISE, but Nick puts a hand on his shoulder.
NICK DAVIES
(CONTINUED)
Let's not attract attention, shall
we? Besides, the American spooks
are civilized. It's the Russians
you need to keep an eye on.
Nick glances over at TWO THICK RUSSIANS talking quietly at
the bar. AND WATCHING THEM. Julian follows his gaze, ASHEN.
NICK DAVIES
(CONTINUED)
Room 376, can you remember that?
Julian nods. Nick discreetly slips him a KEY, then stands.
NICK DAVIES
(CONTINUED)
When Ms. Lang returns, bring her
up. They'll assume you're in for
the night, which should leave ample
time for us to find a way to slip
you out of the hotel.
NICK DAVIES
(CONTINUED)
And for you to show us what it is
that's got their knickers in such a
twist.
INT. ANKE'S APARTMENT, BEDROOM - BERLIN, GERMANY - NIGHT
Daniel and Anke sleep. Daniel looks peaceful, more content
than we've seen him. Then...
His cryptophone RINGS. Daniel BOLTS UP, eyes FLASHING open.
Anke stirs as he checks the caller ID. He looks to her...
she already knows who it is. She nods and Daniel picks up --
DANIEL
(INTO THE PHONE)
Julian?
INT. HOTEL ROOM - TONSBERG, NORWAY - NIGHT (SAME TIME)
A well-appointed European hotel room. A FRENETIC Julian
paces beside Nick, who watches VIDEO on a laptop. In the
b/g, Ms. Lang is on a hotel phone.
JULIAN
(INTO THE PHONE)
I need you, can you be on the first
plane to Reykjavik tomorrow?
WE DO NOT SEE THE VIDEO, but we HEAR the HISS OF A MILITARY
WALKIE. Nick watches, STUNNED.
NICK DAVIES
Jesus... I'm surprised they don't
have more men on you.
DANIEL
(INTO THE PHONE)
I thought you were in Norway--
JULIAN
(INTO THE PHONE)
(CONTINUED)
I can't stay here, it's not safe.
MS. LANG
They'll have a taxi here in twenty.
Ms. Lang hangs up the hotel phone.
MS. LANG
(CONT'D)
It'll be by the back stair, the
Americans are out front.
DANIEL
(THROUGH THE PHONE)
Julian, what's going on?
Nick stands. Off the video --
NICK DAVIES
Shit, this is going to be...
Julian, you should work with us on
this.
JULIAN
What, so the Guardian can take all
the credit?
Julian a BALL OF ENERGY, takes Lang's arm, walks her into--
INT. HOTEL ROOM, BATHROOM - TONSBERG, NORWAY - CONTINUOUS
Julian pulls Ms. Lang into the small bathroom.
DANIEL
(INTO THE PHONE)
Julian --
But Julian HANGS UP the phone, closes the bathroom door
behind Ms. Lang and PULLS AT HER DRESS.
MS. LANG
What are you doing?
She STOPS him. It's not an unwelcome advance, but under the
circumstances, Ms. Lang is SURPRISED. He explains --
JULIAN
If I'm going to slip out of the
hotel, I'll need a disguise.
She can't help but smile. And OBLIGE, pulling at her ZIPPER,
the SOUND morphing into the ROAR OF AN AIRPLANE.
SMASH TO --
EXT. KEFLAVIK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - ICELAND - DAY
An AIRPLANE cruises in for a landing, flying over a RED
VOLKSWAGON BEETLE that's pulling out of the airport.
JULIAN
(O.C.)
Are you sure no one's following us?
INT. BIRGITTA'S CAR (MOVING) - REYKJAVIK, ICELAND - DAY
CLOSE ON Daniel, in the front seat. He trades a look with
Birgitta, who's driving, then peers into the REARVIEW at...
Julian, in back, IN MS. LANG'S DRESS. Looking a bit crazy.
BIRGITTA JONSDOTTIR
I don't see anyone.
DANIEL
What's going on?
Daniel's phone RINGS. He checks the caller ID.
DANIEL
(CONTINUED)
It's Nick from the Guardian.
(then)
Julian, what is going on?
Off Julian's nervous smile, we SMASH TO --
INT. FOSS HOTEL, HOTEL ROOM - REYKJAVIK, ICELAND - DAY
CLOSE ON GRAINY MILITARY VIDEO from IRAQ. A HELICOPTER CAM
on A GROUP OF MEN near a building on a dirt road. The camera
pans OMINOUSLY. We hear AMERICAN VOICES over MILITARY RADIO.
US SOLDIER
(ON THE VIDEO)
Just fuckin', just open 'em up.
Let's shoot, light 'em all up.
Suddenly, we hear MACHINE GUN FIRE.
RAT-TAT-TAT-TAT -- the camera SHAKES. A small time delay
then the men DUCK, and FALL. SHOT. DUST rises around them.
US SOLDIER
(ON THE VIDEO)
(CONTINUED)
Keep shoot'n, keep shoot'n.
RAT-TAT-TAT-TAT. The smoke CLEARS and we see DEAD BODIES on
the ground. It's GRAPHIC, DISTURBING. So is the language...
US SOLDIER
(ON THE VIDEO)
(CONTINUED)
Look at those dead bastards.
(laughing)
Nice. Nice. Good shoot'n.
REVEAL Birgitta, Daniel and Marcus in a hotel room, watching
what we now know to be the COLLATERAL MURDER VIDEO. STUNNED.
DANIEL
Jesus. Were they even armed?
JULIAN
With cameras, mostly.
Julian stands behind them.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
Two of the victims were Reuters
news employees, a photographer and
his driver. The Military claimed
they died in a battle between US
forces and insurgents and the press
just bought it.
MARCUS
Didn't Reuters chase the story?
JULIAN
The Pentagon completely stonewalled
them, it's a massive cover up.
BIRGITTA JONSDOTTIR
Julian, this is huge.
JULIAN
Nick thought so, I bet we could
sell it to the Guardian for
millions.
MARCUS
You want to sell this?
Julian's considering it. Marcus and Birgitta look APPALLED.
DANIEL
Of course he doesn't. And we won't
have to. It'll spark a whole new
wave of donations.
Daniel holds Julian's gaze, then pushes on --
DANIEL
(CONTINUED)
That's assuming it's legitimate.
Where did you get it?
JULIAN
A guy showed up in the chat, said
he was US Military.
(following Daniel's lead)
But we'll want to track down the
families of the victims.
ZIGGY
In Baghdad?
DANIEL
Yes, in Baghdad. We're journalists,
we have to verify sources, maybe
you should look into flights.
Ziggy SWALLOWS HARD. Julian watches Daniel with RENEWED
APPRECIATION as he takes over, turning to Marcus...
DANIEL
(CONTINUED)
We need to pre-process, improve
resolution...
MARCUS
We can probably use FFMPEG...
BIRGITTA JONSDOTTIR
I'll grab some more volunteers...
As the team springs into action, we --
INT. FOSS HOTEL, HOTEL ROOM - REYKJAVIK, ICELAND - DAY
CLOSE ON a MONITOR. A quote over black -- 'Political
language is designed to make lies sound truthful and give
the appearance of solidity to pure wind.' George Orwell.
MARCUS
(O.C.)
Good. Now add some buzz over that,
radio frequency, military comms...
REVEAL Daniel, Birgitta and Marcus and some volunteers
making edits to the video. Daniel spots Julian out on the
patio.
EXT. FOSS HOTEL, PATIO - REYKJAVIK, ICELAND - DAY
Julian stares out at the otherworldly landscape.
DANIEL
We need to set up a media launch.
Daniel walks up. Julian's a bit lost in thought.
JULIAN
I've heard people say that I dangle
somewhere on the autistic spectrum.
It's probably why I lean so heavily
on those around me.
A small admission, it seems heartfelt. But this time,
Daniel's not quite susceptible, not really moved --
DANIEL
Right. So the media launch?
JULIAN
Ziggy's planning something at the
Parliament building.
DANIEL
Ziggy...
(off Julian's look)
You want to launch the biggest leak
we've ever had in Iceland?
Julian's momentarily flustered. Daniel pats him on the back.
DANIEL
(CONTINUED)
Let's take the fight to them.
(heading back inside)
Courage is contagious, right?
As Daniel exits, we HOLD ON Julian, who realizes what he
means.
Off Julian UNNERVED and IMPRESSED, we SMASH TO --
EXT. WASHINGTON, DC - DAY
The sun glistens off the CAPITOL DOME as WE PRELAP --
JULIAN
(PRELAP)
The video shows the brutal
slaughter-
INT. NATIONAL PRESS CLUB - WASHINGTON, DC - DAY
Julian speaks to a room of REPORTERS, photos behind him.
JULIAN
...of two Reuters reporters... US
soldiers clearly debased by war...
INT. ANKE'S APARTMENT - BERLIN, GERMANY - NIGHT
CLOSE ON A SMALL TELEVISION. WOLF BLITZER on CNN.
WOLF BLITZER
(ON THE MONITOR)
The video was released by the
whistleblowing website wikileaks...
REVEAL Anke, standing with Daniel, watching.
ANKE
I suppose there's something to be
said for terrorizing governments...
Daniel smiles at her as Blitzer continues, a large screen
playing the beginning of the Collateral Murder Video.
WOLF BLITZER
What you're about to see is
graphic--
TELEVISION (REAL FOOTAGE) - CNN
QUICK CUTS of the Video. We see the men mowed down again.
TELEVISION (REAL FOOTAGE) - CNN
Pentagon correspondent BARBARA STARR speaks to Wolf Blitzer.
BARBARA STARR
...the army found no one at fault,
that the helicopters in the air had
no reason to believe there were
journalists on the ground...
TELEVISION (REAL FOOTAGE) - CNN
QUICK CUTS of the Video. We see the men mowed down again.
TELEVISION (REAL FOOTAGE) - CNN
Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr speaks to Wolf Blitzer.
BARBARA STARR
Nonetheless it is a grim reminder
of the nastiness, of the terrible
things that do happen in war.
TELEVISION (REAL FOOTAGE) - FOX NEWS
Megyn Kelly interviews MILITARY ANALYST CAPTAIN CHUCK NASH.
MEGYN KELLY
He's calling this collateral
murder. Captain, is that a fair
description of the job our troops
are doing?
INT. U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT, SARAH'S OFFICE - WASH DC - DAY
Sarah and Boswell watch FOX NEWS.
CAPTAIN NASH
...if you are embedding with
terrorists and they're engaged and
you get killed, it is not murder.
SARAH SHAW
You don't want ugly pictures, you
should get out of ugly wars.
JAMES BOSWELL
That decision's a bit above our pay
grade, wouldn't you say?
AIDE
I've got Deputy NSA Colson for you?
Sarah hits the SPEAKERPHONE, her tone changing.
SARAH SHAW
(INTO THE PHONE)
12 million people have seen that
video on You Tube, you still want
to tell me it's just a little
website?
INT. WHITE HOUSE, BULLPEN OUTSIDE PRESS BRIEFING - DAY
Colson on a phone outside the press room, working note pad.
SAM COLSON
General Thomason has been reviewing
all the intel, he's fielding a
tiger team, I told him to pull you
in.
(then)
I'm on in five, you got anything
for me?
SARAH SHAW
The guy on Fox is pretty good,
maybe you should use some of his
material.
JAMES BOSWELL
Sam, it's Jim. Tell the press the
truth, those soldiers were
following protocol, this is
computer geeks looking at the war
through a pin hole.
SAM COLSON
Those computer geeks are becoming a
real menace.
SARAH SHAW
Welcome to the revolution.
Boswell starts to leave, crossing with an aide. The aide
hands a NOTE to Sarah. She scans it.
SARAH SHAW
(CONTINUED)
Jim.
Boswell stops, turns back. And sees Sarah's PALE. As we
wonder what exactly the note says, we FADE TO BLACK.
INT. JFK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, GATE 47 - NEW YORK - DAY
FADE UP ON a GOOGLE SEARCH on Julian Assange.
A MOUSE clicks stories, WINDOWS pop up. Washington Post,
Wall Street Journal, New York Times. Quotes are read --
JULIAN
(O.C.)
'Assange is disheveled.' 'Like a
bag lady.' 'Changes cell phones
daily.'
REVEAL Julian with his bags, TWO LAPTOPS open, HEADPHONES
on, a MOBILE ROUTER beside him. He talks to one of the
laptops.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
A few days of serious analysis then
it's all about how weird I am.
PAN OVER the SCREEN: he's SKYPING with Daniel.
We CUT TO --
INT. FOSS HOTEL, HOTEL ROOM - REYKJAVIK, ICELAND - DAY
Marcus is plugged in; Ziggy and a few staffers swirl around.
Daniel talks to Julian.
DANIEL
(INTO HEADSET)
Come on, you had to enjoy Keller's
diatribe on your filthy white
socks.
JULIAN
Yes, I just never figured brutal
slaughter and my socks would get
equal billing in The New York
Times.
Daniel smirks as Julian's cryptophone RINGS.
JULIAN
(CONTINUED)
Hold on.
As Julian answers, Daniel's cryptophone rings. And suddenly
ALL THE OTHER PHONES IN THE ROOM ARE RINGING. Daniel turns,
SURPRISED, when HIS COMPUTER STARTS BEEPING.
He looks down at the screen -- TWENTY IMs HAVE POPPED UP.
Every one of them about a Private Bradley Manning.
DANIEL
What the...?
The same thing must be happening on Julian's side because he
STARES at his screen, his face going WHITE. Then, NUMB --
JULIAN
They're going to kill us...
(then, to Daniel)
Get off skype, get off everything
now.
As Daniel's Skype goes blank, Marcus starts BARKING --
MARCUS
We need to shut everything down!
You all have five seconds to save!
Daniel turns. Marcus is WILD EYED.
DANIEL
Marcus, what the hell is going on?
MARCUS
Five... Four... We can't let them
trace us...
Marcus hits a button. All the computers freeze.
DANIEL
Who? Marcus?
Marcus hands him a laptop. On the frozen screen, an article
in WIRED: 'U.S. Intelligence Analyst Arrested in Wikileaks
Probe.' A photo of Manning, something about 260,000 U.S.
diplomatic cables... As Daniel reads, Birgitta RUSHES in --
BIRGITTA JONSDOTTIR
I just spoke to Kim Zetter at
Wired, she said the US Military
arrested a private for leaking
secrets to us?
DANIEL
The video? This is the guy who
leaked us the video?
BIRGITTA JONSDOTTIR
(upset, pale)
She said it was more than that.
Half a million classified US Army
documents. And hundreds of
thousands of internal communiques
from the U.S. State Department.
(then)
She called it the biggest leak of
classified information in history.
Daniel STARES at a PHOTO of BABY-FACED PRIVATE MANNING.
DANIEL
Oh god.
Marcus closes the laptop and we SMASH TO --
THE SUBMISSION PLATFORM - DANIEL'S VISION
Julian whispers to a young PRIVATE in a US ARMY UNIFORM. A
HUGE STACK OF DOCS TOWERS nearby... SOME MARKED U.S.
MILITARY, SOME U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT, ALL MARKED CLASSIFIED.
The private turns to look at Daniel... we only get a glimpse
of his face... IS IT MANNING?
Off Daniel, we SMASH TO --
INT. ANKE'S APARTMENT, FOYER - BERLIN, GERMANY - DAY
CLOSE ON a cryptophone. RINGING.
We hear a door open and Anke walks in with a bag of
GROCERIES. She reaches for the phone, answers. Light --
ANKE
(INTO THE PHONE)
Calling on the cryptophone, must be
serious.
We don't hear what Daniel says, but Anke PALES.
SMASH TO --
INT. FOSS HOTEL - REYKJAVIK, ICELAND - DAY
Daniel's on his cryptophone.
DANIEL
(INTO THE PHONE)
..Wired broke the story, the
soldier seems to have told someone
online...
Nearby, Marcus types furiously, bringing them back online as
Birgitta and the staffers huddle around a MONITOR, reading
about Manning. UPSET, SCARED.
MARCUS
He bragged about it in a chat room?
What the hell was he thinking?
BIRGITTA JONSDOTTIR
He's 22. He's just a kid.
(to Marcus, nervous)
Are you sure they can't trace us?
Marcus doesn't look so sure.
MARCUS
I'm adding another Tor circuit.
As he starts typing faster, we PICK UP Daniel --
DANIEL
(INTO THE PHONE)
...you need to wipe my portion of
the hard drive...
INTERCUT WITH:
INT. ANKE'S APARTMENT, KITCHEN - BERLIN, GERMANY - DAY
Anke's totally freaked.
ANKE
(INTO THE PHONE)
Do you have those files?
DANIEL
(INTO THE PHONE)
(not answering)
You need to go to your mother's, do
you understand?
ANKE
(INTO THE PHONE)
(frightened)
Daniel, if you have those files and
they know about it --
DANIEL
(INTO THE PHONE)
I know. I've got to go.
Daniel hangs up. To Marcus, urgent --
DANIEL
(CONTINUED)
Are we back up yet?
Marcus works a laptop.
MARCUS
Just a few more proxies...
(pissed, reeling)
The goddamn mission is to protect
sources...
BIRGITTA JONSDOTTIR
We can't protect sources from
themselves.
Marcus' computer BEEPS.
MARCUS
We're online.
DANIEL
See if Julian's on the chat.
Marcus types into his Desktop.
[AS BEFORE, a CHAT BUBBLE appears on Marcus's laptop and AT
THE BOTTOM OF OUR SCREEN].
mArc: Hey. Back online. You there?
INT. LUFTHANSA FLIGHT 85 - NEW YORK TO BRUSSELS - DAY
Julian's cramped into a COACH WINDOW SEAT, his LAPTOP ANGLED
AWAY from the passenger beside him.
MARCUS' CHAT pops up on his computer screen. He glances
WARILY at the passenger next to him... then TYPES. [In these
scenes we see him silently typing, reacting to the chat].
jjj: We need lawyers for Manning.
SPLIT-SCREEN - FOSS HOTEL
They trade a NERVOUS look. Marcus reaches forward, TYPES.
mArc: So it's true? We have the
docs?
SPLIT-SCREEN - LUFTHANSA FLIGHT
Julian KEEPS TYPING.
jjj: Creating a temp website, will
send you the link.
SPLIT-SCREEN - FOSS HOTEL
DANIEL
Jesus. He's got them.
BIRGITTA JANSDOTTIR
How did he not tell us?
MARCUS
Daniel.
Marcus shows him the screen.
jjj: We need to publish everything.
NOW.
Off Daniel. VERY CONCERNED --
INT. WHITE HOUSE, CORRIDOR - WASHINGTON, DC - DAY
Sarah and a YOUNG STAFFER, late 20s, hustle down a corridor.
SARAH SHAW
You're telling me this private
stuck a thumb drive in a computer
and --
YOUNG STAFFER
It was a CD.
SARAH SHAW
Excuse me?
YOUNG STAFFER
It was a blank CD. It was marked
Lady Gaga.
Sarah STARES at the staffer as they walk into --
INT. WHITE HOUSE, SIT ROOM - WASHINGTON, DC - DAY
MILITARY BRASS, SUITS, everyone's on phones. Sarah joins
Colson, conferring with a GENERAL (THOMASON).
SAM COLSON
Where's the Secretary?
SARAH SHAW
Jim's calling her now. Do we know
which documents Manning leaked?
GENERAL THOMASON
He's refusing to talk but we think
it's war logs from Afghanistan and
Iraq. And cables from the NCD
database.
SARAH SHAW
Which cables?
General Thomason looks down, EMBARRASSED.
SARAH SHAW
(CONTINUED)
Which cables?
SAM COLSON
He may have leaked the whole
database.
SARAH SHAW
That database has over a quarter
million cables. Appraisals of world
leaders, sensitive information on
dozens of...
And then it HITS her. APOPLECTIC --
SARAH SHAW
(CONTINUED)
Sam, there are names. Insiders,
informants in every country, people
whose lives will be at risk if...
She trails off, OVERWHELMED. Thomason turns to Sam.
GENERAL THOMASON
There are informants named in the
military logs as well. Hundreds of
them.
Colson reaches for a phone, TENSE. Sarah, NUMB --
SARAH SHAW
A 22 year old private with a
history of mental instability and a
Lady Gaga CD and we're on the verge
of a major international crisis?
SAM COLSON
(INTO THE PHONE)
We need the AG, the Joint Chiefs,
whoever's running Wikileaks for the
CIA and anyone else who might have
a clue how to crush these assholes.
(to Thomason)
In the meantime, let's hope to God
they're more responsible with
information than we are.
Over this, Julian's chat POPS UP on the bottom of the screen
jjj: How fast can we format the US
docs?
INT. FOSS HOTEL / INT. LUFTHANSA FLIGHT 85 - DAY
SPLIT-SCREEN as before.
SPLIT-SCREEN - FOSS HOTEL
Birgitta and Daniel stare at the laptop open to the chat,
Marcus works on the other.
MARCUS
Jesus, it's three gigs of text.
Marcus pulls up a SET OF CABLES on the second laptop.
Daniel stares. The words STRICTLY PROTECT jump out at him.
DANIEL
Shit.
Daniel eyes Marcus, who's seen it too. He looks NERVOUS...
BIRGITTA JONSDOTTIR
Daniel, this is crazy...
Daniel glances back at Julian's text: How fast can we format
the US docs? Trying to remain CALM, he dictates to Marcus.
DANIEL
Tell him we can't dump the data,
tell him it's too dangerous.
Marcus starts TYPING.
SPLIT-SCREEN - LUFTHANSA FLIGHT
mArc: Can't dump data. Too
dangerous.
Julian REACTS, VISIBLY ANGRY, starts BANGING on the
keyboard.
SPLIT-SCREEN - FOSS HOTEL
Daniel dictates feverishly, Marcus types...
DANIEL
(CONTINUED)
Tell him we need time to go through
it all, tell him that once we've...
But they stop as Julian's chat FLIES ONTO THE SCREEN.
jjj: MORE dangerous NOT to publish.
jjj: once it's out, there is
nothing they can do.
jjj: AND. if we don't publish, what
message does that send?
jjj: find our source and you can
stop us?
DANIEL
(CONTINUED)
Give me the damn keyboard.
Daniel leans over Marcus, bangs on the keyboard ANGRILY.
ddd: this is RECKLESS.
SPLIT-SCREEN - LUFTHANSA FLIGHT
Julian reacts as Daniel's chats fly across the screen.
ddd: we don't know what's in the
docs.
ddd: you're putting people's lives
in jeopardy.
ddd: this is not the mission.
JULIAN
Fuck you, you disloyal...
The passenger beside him looks at Julian, UNEASY, as Julian
POUNDS his keyboard, livid, CLOSING the chat window.
The SPLIT SCREEN ENDS and we SMASH TO --
INT. FOSS HOTEL - REYKJAVIK, ICELAND - DAY
Daniel and the others STARE AT THE SCREEN. STUNNED.
jjj has logged out of the chat
room.
BIRGITTA JONSDOTTIR
He logged off?
MARCUS
Shit.
A moment of silence, then they're distracted by...
BOB BECKEL
(STREAMING VIDEO,
FOXNEWS)
Who gets hurt from this? The
American people and the national
security of the United States. And
the way to deal with this is pretty
simple. We've got special ops
forces, a dead man can't leak
stuff.
They turn see Ziggy staring at his laptop, FREAKED.
BIRGITTA JONSDOTTIR
(stunned)
That's their house liberal.
Daniel's phone RINGS. NUMB, he eyes it, picks up. COLD --
DANIEL
(INTO THE PHONE)
Nick. How can I help you?
INTERCUT WITH:
INT. BULLPEN, GUARDIAN - LONDON, ENGLAND - DAY
CLOSE ON a an EARLY EDITION of tomorrow's Guardian, a BIG
PICTURE OF MANNING on Page One.
NICK DAVIES
You can put me in touch with
Julian.
REVEAL Nick holding the paper.
DANIEL
Julian's not available.
NICK DAVIES
Daniel, we both know you're sitting
on the biggest story on the planet.
And if you're thinking of going to
ground on this, I'm afraid it's too
late. Genie's out the bag, cat's
out of the bottle, all the old
cliches apply and now Manning's
future and yours will be defined by
one thing - how this material is
handled.
Daniel STRUGGLES, eyes the text of the chat with Julian.
NICK DAVIES
(CONTINUED)
You have to tell Julian, I'm
already working on a story to paint
this as the next Pentagon Papers,
but you need our help. This is
bigger than anything you've done,
you think they spun you on
Collateral Murder, wait 'til you
see what they do here. Tell Julian
there's credit enough to go round,
this is about survival.
Daniel's TEMPTED, they do need help... but he's not ready.
DANIEL
I'll get back to you.
Daniel hangs up and turns to Birgitta.
DANIEL
(CONTINUED)
Where's Julian flying into?
INT. BRUSSELS AIRPORT - BELGIUM - NIGHT
Julian walks out of customs. He ANXIOUSLY scrutinizes the
men and women around him. From his PARANOID POV, they all
seem suspect... they all seem to be STARING AT HIM...
Suddenly, from behind, a HAND REACHES OUT FOR HIM...
BIRGITTA JONSDOTTIR
(O.C.)
Julian.
Julian spins, FREAKED. It's Birgitta.
JULIAN
Did anyone follow you?
BIRGITTA JONSDOTTIR
No, I... I don't think so.
Julian pulls his hat low, spots Daniel waiting with a cart
beside other drivers. He turns on Birgitta, accusatory.
JULIAN
I told you to come alone.
(looks around, panicked)
They're looking for us, they've got
people everywhere...
BIRGITTA JONSDOTTIR
Julian, you need to hear him out.
But Julian, AGITATED, darts into the airport train entrance.
EXT. BRUSSELS TRAIN - BELGIUM - NIGHT
The train slowly snakes through the flat Belgian
countryside. Glinting in the moonlight. Ominously.
JULIAN
(O.C.)
Daniel Ellsberg put out a
statement, he said they're coming
after us.
INT. BRUSSELS TRAIN - BELGIUM - MIDNIGHT
Daniel, Birgitta and Julian talk in HUSHED TONES on the
relatively empty train.
JULIAN
We need to publish now.
DANIEL
Julian, it's hundreds of thousands
of pages of sensitive material.
This isn't like the video, the docs
are full of jargon, they're totally
impenetrable -- we wouldn't know
what the hell we were publishing.
JULIAN
So we let the historians figure it
out. Isn't that the point of this
organization?
DANIEL
I thought the point was protecting
whistleblowers.
The train stops, the doors open and Julian spots COPS
walking on the platform. Panicked, he sees... the car's
SURVEILLANCE CAM trained on them. Angry, scared, he glares
at Daniel...
...then RUSHES off the car as the cops step on and casually
sit down. OBLIVIOUS. Birgitta, SPOOKED, looks to Daniel...
who PULLS OUT HIS PHONE. And DIALS.
DANIEL
(INTO THE PHONE)
(CONTINUED)
Mr. Davies, please.
BIRGITTA JONSDOTTIR
(grabbing his arm)
Daniel, we bring him in, we're going to lose all control.
DANIEL
I think we already have.
Off Daniel, we PRELAP --
NICK DAVIES
(PRELAP)
This is a political battle.
INT. HOTEL CAFE - BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - MORNING
Nick calmly peels an orange at a cafe overlooking the city.
Birgitta, Daniel and Julian, hat PULLED LOW, sit across the
table. ANXIOUS. And SKEPTICAL.
NICK DAVIES
Don't get me wrong, you should keep
an eye out for men with poison
umbrellas, but if the US has any
foresight they know they need to do
more than kill you. You represent a
terrifying future, they need to
delegitimize all you stand for, the
most powerful media machine on the
planet is right now planning a
smear campaign like none you've
ever seen.
JULIAN
Amazing how someone can talk for
ten minutes without saying
anything.
Nick glances over at Daniel.
DANIEL
You said you'd hear him out.
JULIAN
(wary)
What are you proposing?
NICK DAVIES
An international media coalition.
The Guardian, The Times, Der
Spiegel, all standing with
Wikileaks, legitimizing you as a
news organization. Let the US
attack, we print the news. And if
we put you on the moral high
ground, up with Mother Theresa and
Nelson Mandela...
DANIEL
No one'll be able to screw with us.
Julian considers, SWAYED. A beat, then --
JULIAN
You'd want exclusives?
NICK DAVIES
Finding stories in all those
documents will be a lot of work.
You can't expect us to do it
without an incentive.
JULIAN
And then what, we'd set a date?
You'd run your stories, we'd post
the raw data?
NICK DAVIES
(pausing)
I'm assuming the documents contain
names? Sources? US informants?
Nick looks over at Daniel. Daniel nods.
NICK DAVIES
(CONTINUED)
You'd need to redact them.
JULIAN
You think that's necessary?
NICK DAVIES
The Guardian can't condone
publishing something that could put
lives in danger. And morals aside,
this speaks to how you're
perceived. You're starting an
information war with the US
Government, you mustn't hand them
ammunition.
JULIAN
I suppose it's just a name search.
Julian seems SWAYED. Nick's phone RINGS.
NICK DAVIES
That's my editor, what should I
say?
JULIAN
How secure are your phones?
Nick gets it. He stands, picking up.
NICK DAVIES
(INTO THE PHONE)
Alan, I'm afraid it's a complete
screw up. No, he won't talk to me.
As Nick hangs up, Daniel leans in.
DANIEL
Julian, this could be historic. The
Guardian, the New York Times...
JULIAN
They'll take credit.
DANIEL
For the stories they find. But
think of what that'll do for us.
You want to break through, this
kind of coverage gets people's
attention. It could be the
culmination of everything we've
done.
NICK DAVIES
He's right, Julian. If you work
with us, you'll have a golden
trumpet, a Jericho horn, walls are
gonna come tumbling. And when they
do, you'll be atop an empire.
This gets through. Julian jots something on a NAPKIN.
JULIAN
This is a password for a temporary
site. I'll e-mail the link in 24
hours, you'll find the war logs
there.
NICK DAVIES
So we have a deal? We publish, you
publish? We redact, you redact?
JULIAN
(nodding)
We'll put out the war logs in six
weeks. If you behave, we'll move on
to the cables.
As Julian pushes the napkin across the table, we --
INT. ALAN RUSBRIDGER'S OFFICE - LONDON, ENGLAND - DAY
Alan's meeting with a NUMBER OF EDITORS.
NICK DAVIES
Morning everyone, meeting's over.
Nick bursts in, sits at ALAN'S DESKTOP, pulls out THE
NAPKIN. As he starts tapping away, Ian looks to Alan
CONFUSED.
IAN KATZ
Alan?
Alan nods. The editors all stand and file out, save Ian.
NICK DAVIES
Call Keller at the Times and
whatshisfuck at Der Spiegel.
ALAN RUSBRIDGER
You got it?
A website with the WIKILEAKS LOGO appears on Alan's
computer.
NICK DAVIES
I'll know in a minute.
Ian looks over his shoulder. A file starts downloading.
IAN KATZ
Pretty slow for a tech wizard.
NICK DAVIES
He said it's 91,000 logs from
Afghanistan alone, I imagine it
might take a second.
Alan looks skeptical as his secretary HELEN walks in.
HELEN
Alan, I'm sorry, I told Nick --
NICK DAVIES
Well, look at that.
Nick SMILES, turns the laptop to Alan. Who reacts.
NICK DAVIES
(CONTINUED)
Helen, could you ring up Bill
Keller for Alan? And let's be
discreet.
Helen looks at Alan mystified. He nods.
SAM COLSON
(PRELAP)
What about going after their
infrastructure?
INT. U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT, BUNKER ROOM - WASHINGTON DC -
DAY
CLOSE ON a screen, SECURE VIDEO. A window of Thomason at the
Pentagon and one of Colson and his staffer in the Sit Room.
GENERAL THOMASON
(ON VIDEO)
The site outsources storage to
Amazon, takes donations on Pay Pal
--
FIND Boswell in front of the monitor with a file, SNAPSHOTS
OF JULIAN AND DANIEL at the BCC, on the Brussels train...
JAMES BOSWELL
Let's get Bezos on the phone. And
whoever the hell is running Pay
Pal.
YOUNG STAFFER
(ON VIDEO)
You really want us pressuring the
private sector to cut off a
journal--
JAMES BOSWELL
He's not a journalist, he's a
goddamn threat to national security
and American companies shouldn't be
helping him store thousands of
stolen classified documents.
PISSED, Boswell snaps off the video and turns to find...
A MAN with a HAND TRUCK adding to a HUGE TABLE STACKED WITH
DOCUMENTS marked CONFIDENTIAL -- the compromised CABLES. We
realize this is the room from the Open - before the chaos.
It's STAGGERING. Boswell sees Sarah reading through cables.
JAMES BOSWELL
(CONTINUED)
These are the compromised
documents?
SARAH SHAW
This is just the cables. They're
going through the war logs at the
Pentagon.
JAMES BOSWELL
(reacts, then)
We've got some people coming to
help you out with these?
She doesn't respond. Boswell sees she's SHAKING, a cable in
her hands. WE SEE the words SIM SARNA and STRICTLY PROTECT.
SARAH SHAW
He's named in dozens of them. If
they go out, if the Iranians see...
JAMES BOSWELL
Sarah. We got some intel yesterday.
There are newspapers involved,
responsible ones. The Guardian, The
Times. They'll black out the names.
Off Sarah, hoping to god he's right, we hear the FIRST NOTES
something like The Stones' Gimme Shelter and we SMASH INTO
--
INT. DER SPIEGEL, BUNKER ROOM - BERLIN, GERMANY - DAY
Reporters work on large desktops. We hear hushed tones --
STARK
The spreadsheet is enormous, I'm
sure it contains the scoop of the
century but we can't access it, let
alone analyze it.
STARK, the German editor from the OPEN, walks Daniel in.
DANIEL
You're working in excel?
Stark nods as they reach ROSENBACH, the reporter from the
Open. He looks up from his computer, BLEARY EYED.
ROSENBACH
Daniel, thank god, every time I
open the damn thing the system
crashes.
DANIEL
Yeah, you need to parse it in a
text editor then script it into a
searchable database.
Daniel sits down, starts working. As Daniel TYPES, Rosenbach
turns to a SKYPE VIDEO CHAT open on a nearby laptop.
ROSENBACH
Are you getting this?
MUSIC PULSES and we CUT TO --
INT. NEW YORK TIMES, BUNKER ROOM - NEW YORK - DAY (SAME
TIME)
An AMERICAN REPORTER at a laptop in a small, MESSY room of
similarly FRENETIC reporters. Two men carry in a SHREDDER.
TIMES REPORTER # 1
Yeah, that helps.
A WAR CORRESPONDENT arrives, just off the plane from Kabul.
WAR CORRESPONDENT
I blew off a profile with
McChrystal in Kabul, this better be
good.
A BEARDED REPORTER holds out a pile of WAR LOGS.
BEARDED REPORTER
You know what'E.O.F.' stands for?
The War Correspondent stares at the docs, his head
EXPLODING.
WAR CORRESPONDENT
It's 'Escalation of Force.'
The bearded reporter writes down EOF = ESCALATION OF FORCE
on a 3x5 card, then holds it up to a laptop with another
open SKYPE VIDEO CHAT. We see IAN KATZ on the other end.
BEARDED TIMES REPORTER
Can you see that?
IAN KATZ
(ON SKYPE)
Yeah, I got it.
The MUSIC SMASHES US TO --