The Dissident


The Dissident is a 2020 American documentary film directed and produced by Bryan Fogel. It follows the assassination of Jamal Khashoggi and Saudi Arabia's effort to control international dissent.
It had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2020.

Plot

The film follows assassination of Jamal Khashoggi and Saudi Arabia's effort to control international dissent. Central to the documentary is the story of the Saudi activist and video blogger Omar Abdulaziz.

Release

The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2020.

Critical reception

The Dissident holds a 100% approval rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 6 reviews, with a weighted average of 7.5/10. On Metacritic, the film holds a rating of 85 out of 100, based on 4 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".
Jordan Hoffman of Screen International gave the film a positive review writing: "The Dissident holds few new revelations but presents its case with enough infuriating evidence and storytelling power to make it worthwhile. Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter wrote "Fogel's investigation is vigorous, deep and comprehensive." Owen Gleiberman, reviewing the film in Variety, called it "an eye-opening thriller brew of corruption, cover-up, and real-world courage."