1971 (2014 film)

1971
Directed by Johanna Hamilton
Produced by
Written by Johanna Hamilton
Gabriel Rhodes
Music by Philip Sheppard
Distributed by Big Mouth Productions
Fork Films
Motto Productions
Release dates
  • April 18, 2014 (2014-04-18) (Tribeca)
Running time
 80 minutes
Country United States
Language English

1971 is a 2014 American documentary film and the directorial debut of producer Johanna Hamilton, who also co-wrote the film.[1] The film had its world premiere on 18 April 2014 at the Tribeca Film Festival and focuses on the break-in of an FBI office in Media, Pennsylvania on Monday, March 8, 1971 to steal over 1000 classified documents.[2] The break-in took place on the night of the first Ali-Frazier boxing title fight dubbed The Fight of the Century.

Hamilton was inspired to create the film after learning that Betty Medsger was working on her book The Burglary: The Discovery of J. Edgar Hoover’s Secret FBI, which discussed the 1971 events and revealed the identities of many of the participants, who had remained anonymous up to that point.[3]

Synopsis

The film focuses on the events of March 8, 1971, when eight people broke into an FBI office in Media, Pennsylvania. The group, all of whom were ordinary citizens, called themselves the Citizens' Commission to Investigate the FBI and stole every file in the office. The content in the stolen files ranged from training manuals to information about organized crime and draft resistance. Over time the group mailed the files to various newsrooms. One of the more significant elements in the stolen materials were files relating to COINTELPRO, a secret surveillance program that was run by J. Edgar Hoover.

Reception

Site of the 1971 break-in in Media, Pennsylvania

Critical reception for 1971 has been positive.[3][4] Washingtonian and Variety both praised the work,[5] which the Washingtonian described as "a compelling documentary that provides a powerful perspective on the current debate about the men and women who risk everything to disclose government secrets."[6] Indiewire also gave a favorable review, praising Hamilton's directing and stated "Her film is not celebratory, lingering on the notion that, with the public charade of COINTELPRO, ultimately the FBI won. While their post-break-in behaviors are mocked, the government credits itself with tactics specifically utilized to "enhance the paranoia," creating a culture of fear that still exists today."[7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Sutcliffe, David Felix. ""A Different Approach to Dissent": 1971 Director Johanna Hamilton and Whistle Blowers on Government Abuses". Filmmaker Magazine. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
  2. ↑ "1971". Tribeca Film Festival. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
  3. 1 2 Jennings, Sheri. "Tribeca: Johanna Hamilton, 1971". Screen Daily. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
  4. ↑ "1971 (2014)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
  5. ↑ Scheib, Ronnie. "Film Review: '1971'". Variety. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
  6. ↑ Mullins, Luke. "AFI Docs Review: "1971"". Washingtonian. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
  7. ↑ Toro, Gabe. "Tribeca Review: Incendiary Political Documentary '1971'". Indiewire. Retrieved 9 October 2014.

External links

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