Oliver Stone on Canadian surveillance and ‘Snowden”s timing

TORONTO – Canadians who take in the new film “Snowden,” about National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden, should know they’re not immune to the online privacy issues raised in the drama, says director Oliver Stone.

“Canadians are part of the Five Eyes,” Stone noted in an interview at the Toronto International Film Festival, referring to the intelligence alliance comprised of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States.

“(They) trust each other to the degree that apparently they share quite a bit together. However, it’s hard to believe that the U.S. gives everything away.”

“Snowden” made its world premiere at the Toronto film fest on Friday.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars as Snowden, who leaked classified information exposing the NSA’s global surveillance programs. Shailene Woodley plays his girlfriend, Lindsay Mills, who stands by him as he risks his job and his safety to leak the information. The two now live under asylum in Moscow.

“Snowden” touches on the Obama administration and its use of drone surveillance, but Stone — who won a best screenplay Oscar for “Midnight Express” and best director Oscars for “Platoon” and “Born on the Fourth of July” — said he didn’t set out to release the film during an election year.

“This started in 2014, possibly would have been released earlier if we had been able,” he said.

“We had so many obstacles, difficulties making it that it was slowed down a bit. The election year, it’s interesting, but they’re not talking about these issues of surveillance, or drones, or for that matter of cyber warfare. They’re really naive in the way they’re dealing with the American public. The hypocrisies continue.

“However, the ‘Snowden’ movie, we wanted to make a thriller, as dramatic as possible, at the same time hewing to reality. We did a lot of research and (there were) a lot of conflicting accounts and stuff like that and we found our way, we chiselled our way.”

Asked what Snowden himself thinks of the film, Stone said: “I think he’s pleased with the film, he’s told me.”

“Snowden” hits theatres on Sept. 16.

The Toronto film fest runs through Sept. 18