Wikileaks doc among Sundance premieres

A documentary on Wikileaks from Oscar-winning director Alex Gibney is among those set to premiere at the Sundance Festival in January.

Gibney, who won the 2007 documentary feature Oscar for Taxi to the Dark Side, will premiere his We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks doc at the festival which takes place in Salt Lake City from January 17 to 27.

The film examines whether the WikiLeaks phenomenon has ushered in a new era of transparency or an information war.

Other premieres include History of the Eagles, from director Alison Ellwood, which uses never-seen-before home movie footage of the current and former band members; and Anita, by Freida Mock which tells the story of Anita Hill and the 20-year debate her sexual abuse allegations against Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas brought about.

The World According to Dick Cheney, by RJ Cutler and Greg Finton, is also showing for the first time, looking at how a non-presidential figure came to yield so much power in American politics.

Festival director John Cooper said: “We are pleased to see a number of returning filmmakers in our premieres and documentary premieres sections, indicating that there is sustainability, longevity and personal reward to careers in independent film.”

The full list of premieres is available here while those nominated in the World Cinema and US Documentary competitions are listed here.