1971

"The year a few ordinary citizens took on the FBI."

Jun 5 2015 Unrated 1h 19m
Documentary, History, Thriller

Forty years before WikiLeaks and the NSA scandal, there was Media, Pennsylvania. In 1971, eight activists plotted an intricate break-in to the local FBI offices to leak stolen documents and expose the illegal surveillance of ordinary Americans in an era of anti-war activism. In this riveting heist story, the perpetrators reveal themselves for the first time, reflecting on their actions and raising broader questions surrounding security leaks in activism today.

Plot

On March 8th, 1971, eight ordinary citizens broke into an FBI office in Media, PA. Calling themselves the Citizens' Commission to Investigate the FBI, they removed every file in the office. Mailed anonymously, the stolen documents started to show up in newsrooms. The heist yielded a trove of damning evidence. The most significant revelation was COINTELPRO, a controversial, secret, illegal surveillance program overseen by lifelong Bureau director J. Edgar Hoover. Despite one of the largest investigations ever conducted, the FBI was unable to catch the burglars. Those responsible have never revealed their identities. Until now. For the first time the burglars have decided to speak about their actions. 1971 is their story, examining the consequences and implications of their actions - then and now.

Written by

Johanna Hamilton, Gabriel Rhodes

Directed by

Johanna Hamilton

Cast

Bonnie Raines, John Raines, Bob Williamson

Crew

View crew

Production Countries

United States of America

Production Companies

Maximum Pictures, Fork Films, ITVS, Big Mouth Productions, JustFilms / Ford Foundation, Motto Pictures, Independent Lens, Candescent Films

Languages

English

Awards

3 wins & 3 nominations

Trailers
1971 Official Trailer 1 (2015) - Documentary HD
Scores
# of Votes
951
Average Rating
7.3 out of 10
Metascore
73
Popularity
NA