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 and activism today. In his New Yorker review, Richard Brody wrote that 1971, directed by Johanna Hamilton and co-produced by Laura Poitras (director of Citizenfour), “unpacks a crucial but little-known episode in modern political and journalistic history…the story, including its cat-and-mouse aftermath, adds the intricate excitement of a thriller to righteous historical outrage.” The film “is a terrific time capsule with a resonant message.”
