LOS ANGELES - The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California will host the Los Angeles premiere of "Unconstitutional," the latest groundbreaking documentary from acclaimed filmmaker Robert Greenwald, at Laemmle's Music Hall 3 on Thursday, September 23, 2004 at 7:00 PM.
"'Unconstitutional' is a chilling expos� of the ways in which the 'war on terror' has been used to infringe upon and roll back basic civil liberties and constitutional rights since 9/11," said Ramona Ripston. "The ACLU is excited to team up with Robert Greenwald to bring "Unconstitutional" to Los Angeles."
"Unconstitutional," which was written, directed and produced by Nonny de la Pe�a, explores how the Patriot Act has taken away checks on law enforcement and endangers the civil liberties of all Americans. The Patriot Act, which was passed just 45 days after September 11 with virtually no debate, is being met with a significant grassroots groundswell from across the political spectrum. Resolutions opposing the Patriot Act have passed in approximately 340 communities in 41 states, including four statewide resolutions. These communities represent over 53 million people who believe that the Patriot Act goes too far.
By focusing on the personal stories of real people, "Unconstitutional" aims to reveal how paranoia, fear and racial profiling have led to gross infringements on freedom and democracy without strengthening national security. In addition to interviews with ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero and ACLU Legislative Director Laura Murphy, "Unconstitutional" features a diverse cross-section of people, including:
' Vincent Cannistraro, former director of the CIA's counter-terrorism operations
' Sam Hamoui, whose parents and sister were detained under Attorney General John Ashcroft's "Absconder Apprehension Initiative"
' Anne Turner, Librarian, Santa Cruz Public Library
' Bob Barr, former Republican Congressman from Georgia
' Major Michael Mori, the U.S. military lawyer appointed to Guantanamo detainee David Hicks
Greenwald has brought more than 45 films to audiences worldwide. In the last three years alone, Greenwald has produced and/or directed more than 30 hours of television movies and miniseries, a feature film and a feature documentary. The films have won numerous awards including 25 Emmy nominations, two Golden Globe nominations and a Peabody Award.
De la Pe�a has contributed investigative reports for BBC's Omnibus & Inside Story, A&E's Investigative Reports, HBO's American Undercover and the Discovery Channel, among others.
Her first production for HBO, "Death on the Job," was nominated for an Academy Award.
A question and answer session with Robert Greenwald, Nonny de la Pe�a and Ramona Ripston will follow the film premiere.
Laemmle's Music Hall 3 theaters are located at 9036 Wilshire Blvd. in Beverly Hills. Admission to the film is $15.
For a complete list of screenings or to view a trailer of the film, go to http://http.dvlabs.com/carolina/UnConst/UnConstTeaser_Av2.wmv
To learn more about the Patriot Act and the erosion of civil liberties, go to http://www.aclu.org/safeandfree/
