"Code is Law" Film Screening & Discussion
Join the NS Film Discussion Club for a screening and discussion of "Code is Law" (2025), a gripping documentary that dives into the dark side of decentralized finance and the hackers behind multi-million-dollar crypto heists.
What it's about: The film follows Andean Medjedovic, a Canadian teen math prodigy who orchestrated a $65 million crypto heist across multiple DeFi platforms—then challenged the very definition of crime before vanishing as an international fugitive. It explores the philosophical and legal battleground where blockchain immutability collides with real-world justice.
Why watch at NS: As builders in the crypto/web3 space, this documentary forces us to confront uncomfortable questions about code, law, and ethics. Is exploiting a smart contract bug theft or fair game? Should blockchain be a lawless frontier or subject to traditional legal frameworks?
Documentary Summary
"Code is Law" (2025), directed by James Craig and Louis Giles, traces the rise of DeFi exploits through several landmark cases:
The DAO Hack (2016): The original $60M exploit that led to Ethereum's controversial hard fork
Indexed Finance (2021): Where Medjedovic was first identified through a Wikipedia vanity edit
Mango Markets (2022): Avraham Eisenberg's $110M exploit (his wire fraud conviction was later overturned)
KyberSwap (2023): Medjedovic's second hack—$48M stolen while already on the run from authorities
The documentary features interviews with Indexed Finance co-founder Laurence Day (who calls "code is law" dystopian), prosecutors, and crypto insiders—though Medjedovic himself declined to participate, claiming from self-exile that he's now a "white-hat hacker."
Critical reception: IMDB 7.7/10, Official Selection at Julien Dubuque International Film Festival 2025 and Atlanta Docufest 2025.
Pre-Watch Questions
Things to consider before watching:
If a smart contract has a bug that allows you to drain funds legally through its own logic, is that "theft" or just using the system as designed?
Should blockchain protocols operate outside traditional legal systems? What are the implications for mainstream adoption?
How do you balance the ethos of permissionless, trustless systems with protecting users from exploitation?
At what point does technical skill become criminal intent?
Post-Film Discussion Themes
Code vs. Law: The documentary shows prosecutors seeking 90+ years for Medjedovic. Is this proportionate? How should legal systems handle smart contract exploits?
Identity and Anonymity: Medjedovic was caught because of a vanity Wikipedia edit. What does this reveal about the tension between seeking recognition and staying anonymous?
The Ethereum Fork Precedent: The DAO hack led to a chain split. Should communities reverse "legitimate" exploits? What happens to immutability?
Builder Responsibility: As developers, what obligations do we have to secure our contracts? Should exploiters be considered "auditors" or criminals?
DeFi's Future: Can DeFi mature into a regulated financial system while maintaining its core principles? Or is "code is law" fundamentally incompatible with legal accountability?
Hackers as Heroes?: Some in the crypto community celebrate Medjedovic. What does this say about the values embedded in crypto culture?
Event Format
TimeActivity
0:00 - 0:10 Pre-film introduction & discussion questions
0:10 - 1:40 Documentary screening (~90 minutes)
1:40 - 2:00+Post-film discussion
Ongoing conversation via Discord channel.
Key Figures in the Documentary
Andean Medjedovic - Canadian math prodigy, accused of $65M in DeFi exploits, currently an international fugitive
Laurence Day - Indexed Finance co-founder who tracked down Medjedovic
Avraham Eisenberg - Mango Markets exploiter whose conviction was overturned
Sources & Further Reading
Organizers
Konrad Gnat
Network School
Global Builders Club