XY Chelsea

How did a war in Iraq founded on deception end up with the court marshall of the truth teller? This question frames XY Chelsea, a documentary set in the aftermath of the release from prison of Chelsea Manning, a former U.S. Army soldier and intelligence analyst convicted of violating the Espionage Act in 2013, after leaking classified U.S. documents to WikiLeaks. Manning’s information revealed illegal practices - such as torture and abuse of detainees and the unreported deaths of over 15,000 civilians - engaged by the U.S. military. While imprisoned, Manning, a trans woman, also began to transition medically. The film offers insight to her motivations for whistleblowing, and ultimately, for taking on the U.S. government. What is seemingly a portrait of a polarizing figure in recent American history also doubles for the blueprint on how patriotic Americans can resist an unlawful ruler. (Tribeca Film Festival)