Showtime Network produced the “Kingdom of Silence” documentary, which interprets Saudi-American relations in light of the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in his country’s consulate in 2018.
The documentary is produced by Showtime USA and directed by the Emmy Award-winning and CEO Rick Rowley, in partnership with Lawrence Wright.
The film examines the relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia as a backdrop to Khashoggi’s murder.
The film also explores the history between the two countries in the decades preceding today’s interactions between the Trump administration and Mohammed bin Salman and sheds light on Khashoggi’s remarkable journey – from the battlefields in Afghanistan to the corridors of power in Riyadh and Washington, as well as from the Arab Spring to the rise of the new Saudi crown prince.
The second of next October marks the second anniversary of the death of the Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the hands of Saudi agents inside his country’s embassy in Istanbul, Turkey.
The assassination sparked global outrage in 2018, and the United Nations found “sufficient” and “credible” evidence linking Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the murder.
Kingdom of Silence Documentary Produce
In the context, the Kingdom of Silence documentary, Dissident, that narrates the details of the assassination of the journalist Khashoggi at the end of this year will be screened publicly after intensive attempts by the Al Saud regime to prevent the move.
The Dissident, directed by Brian Vogel, achieved positive reactions when it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2020, in the presence of Hillary Clinton, along with Khashoggi’s fiancée, Hatice Genghis.
Despite this, many international media companies hesitated to launch it, fearing the anger of Riyadh. However, “Briarcliff Entertainment” decided to distribute the film and make it available for viewing more than eight months after its production, according to what was published by the American website ABC NEWS.
The company said it obtained the rights to publish the film, and it will be released later this year, coinciding with the anniversary of Khashoggi’s murder.
Vogel said, in a statement about the film: “I hope that this film will consecrate its memory and ensure that justice is achieved and that our society will not turn a blind eye to the brutal human rights violations committed by the Saudi regime.”
“I am pleased that the film will be released away from corporate and private interests,” added Vogel.
“Renegade” revealed new facts that helped the United Nations obtain information about the alleged Saudi hacking of the phone of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.