A new film about the life of Aaron Swartz received a standing ovation at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.
The film, The Internet’s Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz, was written and directed by Brian Knappenberger, director of We Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists.
It explores Aaron’s teenage years, from the early signs of his genius, to his most praised work, both through technology and political advocacy.
Aaron Swartz committed suicide in January 2013, and the film is a reminder, one year on, that the fight has not been won. Aaron’s Law will face the battles in his absence, as his case shed light on the harsh penalties on hacking and the lack of online freedom.
The film shows interviews with Aaron’s loved ones and people who have played a role in his life, and in maintaining the memory of him after his death. Clips of Aaron throughout his short life show his strong opinions on changing the world, and it makes you hope that his loss will not have been in vain, and hopefully laws can be changed for future prevention.
"I feel very strongly that it’s not enough to just live in the world as it is, to just kind of take what you’re given and follow things that adults told you to do, your parents told you to do, that society tells you to do. I think you should always be questioning." – Aaron Swartz
A teaser of the documentary has been released online, you can watch it here.
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