Reality (2023 film): Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

| runtime = 82 minutes<ref>{{cite web |title=''Reality'' (12A) |url=https://www.ifco.ie/en/ifco/pages/3F57F1B0003B213B |publisher=[[Irish Film Classification Office]] |date=May 16, 2023 |access-date=June 1, 2023}}</ref>

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On May 9, 2017, [[Reality Winner]] watches [[Fox News]] coverage on the [[Dismissal of James Comey|firing]] of [[James Comey]] by President [[Donald Trump]] on the TV at her office. 25 days later, on June 3, Winner returns home from grocery shopping, where she is confronted by [[FBI agent]]s Taylor and Garrick, who explain they have a [[search warrant|warrant to search]] her house and her belongings. As a team of agents arrive and begin searching the house, Winner engages in casual conversation with the agents, all of which is picked up by recording device, the transcript of which forms the basis of the film's dialogue. During the early portion of the recording, Winner expresses concern for her dog's and cat's safety during the search.

Winner agrees to speak with Taylor and Garrick in an empty, disused bedroom in her house. Garrick and Taylor start to ask her about the specifics of her work. She explains, besides working as a [[yoga]] instructor and [[CrossFit]] trainer, she is a [[Persian language|Persian]] translator for a [[government contractor]] and is hoping to be deployed to Afghanistan as a translator so her fluency in [[Pashto]] can be better utilized. The agents eventually reveal they are questioning Winner about the recent leak of [[classified information|classified]] government documents to an online publication. Winner initially denies knowledge, but over the course of an hour is eventually compelled to confess she printed and leaked a document from the [[National Security Agency]]'s database. The film initially redacts specifics of the leak, as is done in the transcript, ~~but~~by ithaving isthe ~~eventually~~characters briefly disappear when saying redacted phrases—but in a [[fourth wall]]-breaking sequence Winner forcefully ends the redactions, revealing to the ~~revealed~~audience that the documents ~~revealed~~provided proof of [[Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections]] and the publication was ''[[The Intercept]]'', which had put out a call for evidence of Russian interference.

Winner denies wishing to be a [[whistleblower]] or to undermine the intelligence community à la [[Edward Snowden]], instead saying she wanted the American public to have the same information the government had about the election. As the interrogation wraps up, she chiefly expresses concern for her pets as she realizes she will be taken into custody. She is escorted out of her house and handcuffed, as footage is shown of media reports about the leak. Winner receives both praise and criticism for her actions, with some accusing her of colluding with the Middle East or denying the veracity of the leaks altogether. Some outlets criticize ''The Intercept'' for allowing the leak to be traced to Winner, and others theorize that Winner's disproportionate punishment was designed to discourage potential whistleblowers.

A textual epilogue explains that Winner was denied bail and charged under the [[Espionage Act of 1917|Espionage Act]]. She spent four years in jail and will remain on [[supervised release]] until November 2024. It notes that the same document Winner leaked was later used on the [[United States Senate|Senate]] floor as evidence of Russian interference.

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==Release==

The film received its world premiere at the [[73rd Berlin International Film Festival]] on February 18, 2023.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/berlinale-2023-first-panorama-titles-1235282604/|title=Berlin Fest Unveils First 2023 Panorama and Generation Titles|magazine=The Hollywood Reporter|first=Scott|last=Roxborough|date=December 15, 2022|access-date=December 15, 2022|archive-date=December 15, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221215121655/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/berlinale-2023-first-panorama-titles-1235282604/|url-status=live}}</ref> Prior to, [[Marin Karmitz|mk2 Films]] acquired international sales rights to the film.<ref>{{cite web|title=Sydney Sweeney Whistleblower Drama ‘Reality’ Secures Int’l Sales Deal With MK2 Ahead Of Berlin Premiere|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|first=Melanie|last=Goodfellow|date=1 February 2023|access-date=26 April 2024|url=https://deadline.com/2023/02/mk2-sydney-sweeney-tina-satter-whistleblower-reality-berlin-1235246335/}}</ref> Shortly thereafter, [[HBO Films]] acquired US distribution rights to the film.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2023/02/hbo-acquires-sydney-sweeney-reality-imprisoned-leaker-reality-winner-euphoria-european-film-market-tina-satter-directed-docudrama-1235270731/|title=HBO Acquires Berlin Fest Buzz Title 'Reality;' Breakout For Its 'Euphoria' Star Sydney Sweeney As Leaker Reality Winner In Tina Satter-Helmed Docudrama|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Mike Jr.|last=Fleming|date=February 24, 2023|access-date=February 24, 2023|archive-date=February 25, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230225012230/https://deadline.com/2023/02/hbo-acquires-sydney-sweeney-reality-imprisoned-leaker-reality-winner-euphoria-european-film-market-tina-satter-directed-docudrama-1235270731/|url-status=live}}</ref> It was released on [[HBO]] on May 29, 2023.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Scorziello|first=Sophia|url=https://variety.com/2023/film/news/reality-trailer-sydney-sweeney-1235593079/|title='Reality' Trailer: Sydney Sweeney Stuns as Whistleblower Reality Winner in HBO's Riveting Docudrama|magazine=Variety|date=May 11, 2023|access-date=July 5, 2023}}</ref> The film was given a theatrical release in international markets including the United Kingdom and Ireland on June 2,<ref>{{cite news|last=Bradshaw|first=Peter|author-link=Peter Bradshaw|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/feb/24/reality-review-word-for-word-replay-of-fbi-interrogation-is-uncannily-brilliant|title=Reality review – word-for-word replay of FBI interrogation is uncannily brilliant|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|date=February 24, 2023|access-date=July 5, 2023}}</ref> Australia on June 29,<ref>{{cite news|last=Hall|first=Sandra|url=https://www.smh.com.au/culture/movies/sydney-sweeney-shines-in-true-story-of-an-nsa-whistleblower-20230628-p5dk3n.html|title=Sydney Sweeney shines in true story of an NSA whistleblower|newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|date=June 29, 2023|access-date=July 5, 2023}}</ref> and France on August 16.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Haddad|first=Yohan|url=https://www.premiere.fr/Cinema/News-Cinema/Sydney-Sweeney-est-une-veterane-de-l-armee-au-passe-trouble-dans-Reality--bande-annonce|title=Sydney Sweeney est une vétérane de l'armée au passé trouble dans Reality [bande-annonce]|magazine=[[Première (magazine)|Première]]|language=fr|date=June 16, 2023|access-date=July 5, 2023}}</ref>

==Reception==

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|''Reality''

|{{Nominated}}

|<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Ford |first1=Daniel Montgomery, Chris Beachum, Marcus James Dixon, Denton Davidson, Ray Richmond, Christopher Rosen, Joyce Eng, Latasha |last2=Montgomery |first2=Daniel |last3=Beachum |first3=Chris |last4=Dixon |first4=Marcus James |last5=Davidson |first5=Denton |last6=Richmond |first6=Ray |last7=Rosen |first7=Christopher |last8=Eng |first8=Joyce |last9=Ford |first9=Latasha |date=2023-08-16 |title=2023 Gold Derby TV Awards ceremony: 'Succession' wins 7, 'The Bear' takes 4, Pedro Pascal is Performer of the Year [WATCH] |url=https://www.goldderby.com/feature/2023-gold-derby-tv-awards-winners-list-1205521779/ |access-date=2023-11-19 |website=GoldDerby |language=en-US}}</ref>

|Awards Daily Cooler Awards

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|{{nom}}

|<ref>{{cite web | url=https://producersguild.org/2024-pga-awards-winners/ | title=2024 PGA Awards – Winners | date=February 26, 2024 }}</ref>

|[[Peabody Awards]]

|May 9, 2024

|Entertainment

|''Reality''

|{{won}}

|<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hipes |first=Patrick |date=April 25, 2024 |title=Peabody Awards Nominations: ‘The Bear’, ‘Bluey’, ‘The Last Of Us’ & More – Full List |url=https://deadline.com/2024/04/2024-peabody-awards-nominations-list-1235892057/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240430111101/https://deadline.com/2024/04/2024-peabody-awards-nominations-list-1235892057/ |archive-date=April 30, 2024 |access-date=April 30, 2024 |website=Deadline}}</ref>

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==See also==

* ''[[Winner (~~upcoming~~2024 film)|Winner]]'' (2024), ~~an upcoming~~another film ~~also~~ based on Reality Winner

==References==

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[[Category:Films about whistleblowing]]

[[Category:Films set in 2017]]

[[Category:Films set in the 2010s]]

[[Category:Films set in Georgia (U.S. state)]]

[[Category:HBO Films films]]