In Snowden (2016), Edward Snowden receives asylum in Russia.
The film follows Snowden from his early military ambitions and intelligence work to his decision to disclose classified surveillance information. After leaving the United States and making the disclosures public, the real Snowden remained in Russia, where he received temporary asylum in 2013 and later permanent residency.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt portrays Snowden in the film, which was directed by Oliver Stone. The story includes dramatized scenes involving intelligence facilities, classified documents, and Snowden’s relationship with Lindsay Mills, played by Shailene Woodley.
Russia is sometimes confused with Hong Kong because Snowden first traveled to Hong Kong before the disclosures became public. Hong Kong was the location where he met journalists and provided documents, while Russia became the country in which he ultimately stayed. The film premiered in 2016.