Edward Snowden Film ‘Citizenfour’ Wins Best Documentary Oscar

Adrees Latif / ReutersDirector Laura Poitras (C) accepts the award for best documentary for her film "Citizenfour" at the 2015 Film Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, California on Feb. 21, 2015.

"Citizenfour," amovie about former NSA contractor Edward Snowden's exposure ofthe U.S. government's mass surveillance programs, has won anAcademy Award award forbest documentary film.

Directed byLaura Poitras, "Citizenfour" recounts Snowden's exposure ofNational Security Agency (NSA) surveillance practices andpresents live interviews with Snowden inHong Kong, where he handed classified NSA documents toPoitras andjournalist Glenn Greenwald.

Poitras who shared aPulitzer Prize forPublic Service journalism with TheGuardian andThe Washington Post forpublicizing Snowden's documents had been working ona film about surveillance when Snowden contacted her inJan. 2013 using "CITIZENFOUR" as analias inencrypted e-mails.

"When Laura Poitras asked me if she could film our encounters, I was extremely reluctant," Snowden said Sunday ina statement published via theAmerican Civil Liberties Union. "I'm grateful that I allowed her topersuade me. Theresult is abrave andbrilliant film that deserves thehonor andrecognition it has received.

"My hope is that this award will encourage more people tosee thefilm andbe inspired byits message that ordinary citizens, working together, can change theworld," he added.

Poitras, editor Mathilde Bonnefoy andproducer Dirk Wilutzky accepted theOscar onSunday atHollywood's Dolby Theatre, alongside Greenwald andLindsay Mills, who is Snowden's girlfriend.

"The subject of'Citizenfour,' Edward Snowden, could not be here forsome treason," joked theceremony's host Neil Patrick Harris, according toReuters.

Snowden has been living inexile inRussia since thesummer of2013 toescape theespionage charges he faces inthe U.S. Last year, Russian authorities issued Snowden athree-year residency permit.

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Edward Snowden Film 'Citizenfour' Wins Best Documentary Oscar