THE DISSIDENT
Cert 15 ★★★★★ Streaming at glasgowfilm.org until Tuesday
With murder, conspiracy, intrigue and a tragic romance, The Dissident plays more like a Hollywood thriller than a meticulously researched documentary.
Bryan Fogel examines the assassination of Saudi Arabian writer and Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018.
Through expert analysis, first-hand sources, bugged recordings and touching interviews with his Turkish fiancee Hatice Cengiz, Fogel traces the murder of one of the Saudi regime’s most vocal critics to the inner circle of the kingdom’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
His conclusion won’t shock anyone who has followed the story but how he gets there is packed with surprises.
The film reveals how the Saudi
establishment uses trolls to drown out opposition on Twitter and employs complicated spyware to bug and track opponents on their smartphones.
Shockingly, Saudi nationals aren’t the only potential victims. As owner of the Washington Post, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos was also considered a legitimate target.
But Fogel doesn’t forget the human angle. Khashoggi comes across as warm, affable and big-hearted, a trusting man who couldn’t believe his own government would stoop so low.
Our ‘surge capacity’ to deal with stress has been diminished by the pandemic – leading to feeling burnt out, recent studies have shown.
“Accepting that will go a long way towards relieving the pressure we may have placed on ourselves,” says Kirsty Lilley, mental health specialist at CABA, the wellbeing charity. “It’s important to recognise that we are living through a pandemic, something none of us have ever had to navigate before. This in itself is difficult enough, so be wary of layering additional and unnecessary stress on yourself.”
Incorporate breathing exercises and mindfulness into your daily routine can go a long way to help.
“We should never be afraid to be assertive or push back on additional work,” says Kirsty.
“Many of us have too much on our to-do lists, too much responsibility and, crucially, not enough time to decompress. Maintaining an open dialogue with those around you will ensure they know what’s keeping you busy and could even offer support.”