UnConstitutional : Acclaimed Documentary Details Unconstitutionality of USA Patriot Act - Foreshadows recent US District Court ruling

Unconstitutional -- a recent documentary - explores in-depth the unconstitutionality of certain portions of the USA Patriot Act and the effect the USA Patriot Act has had upon people throughout the world. Unconstitutional foreshadows the landmark decision by U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero striking down a surveillance portion of the USA Patriot Act.

(PRWEB) October 4, 2004 -- Acclaimed Documentary Details Unconstitutionality of USA Patriot Act -

Foreshadows recent US District Court ruling.

Unconstitutional -- the war on our civil liberties, a recent documentary from Director Nonny de la Peña and Executive Producer Robert Greenwald, explores in-depth the unconstitutionality of certain portions of the USA Patriot Act and the effect the USA Patriot Act has had upon people throughout the world. Sponsored in part by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Unconstitutional is a chilling look at how the Patriot Act went too far, too fast in restricting important liberties.

Unconstitutional foreshadows the landmark decision by U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero striking down a surveillance portion of the USA Patriot Act. To date Unconstitutional has received critical acclaim nationwide from the respected media giants such as the New York Times, Variety, The Los Angeles Times, and the Chicago Tribune. Previous reviews can be viewed at:

http://www.publicinterestpictures.org/links.htm

Accredited media interested in learning more about the extent to which the USA Patriot Act is unconstitutional should contact Lisa Smithline at pr@publicinterestpictures.org or (310) 204-0404

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.

The USA 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 USA 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.

ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero said. "The ACLU is proud to support Greenwald's effort to present a bipartisan view of the problems with the Patriot Act."

"We created Unconstitutional to show Americans the extent to which our civil liberties and our freedoms have been trampled upon by our government since 9/11," said Robert Greenwald, the film's executive producer. "The more Americans understand what is at stake, and what has already been lost, the more determined we become to protect our rights."

Unconstitutional: The War on Our Civil Liberties, is the third in a series of Public Interest Pictures films. Unconstitutional provides the facts and stories that illuminate administration lies, wrongheaded policies, and the real victims of these actions--the American people.

Unconstitutional, which was written, directed and produced by Nonny de la Peña, explores how the Patriot Act has taken away checks on law enforcement and continues to endanger the civil liberties of all Americans.

Unconstitutional" is the fourth feature length documentary by award-winning journalist/filmmaker Nonny de la Peña.

Her last film, The Whistleblower", will air on Court TV on November 4th. The film tells the story of independent oil man Chuck Hamel who began providing secret information to government officials and the press about the environmental and safety violations of the Alyeska Pipeline Service. Alyeska, which was owned by a group of oil giants including Exxon, Arco and British Petroleum, went after him with a vengeance. They hired one of the nation's largest private investigative companies, Wackenhut, to stage an elaborate sting operation against him in an attempt to shut him down and protect their chances of getting congressional permission to drill in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge.

About Public Interest Pictures

Public Interest Pictures (PIP) is a non profit tax deductible 501(c)3 corporation organized to produce socially active documentaries.

PIP documentaries explore progressive issues currently threatened by governmental policies at odds with the public interest.

PIP documentaries seek to enlighten, inform, educate and organize concerned citizens. In doing so, PIP documentaries hope to encourage citizens to make positive social change, especially by working to publicize PIP sponsored documentaries and sponsor public screenings.

PIP's documentaries show the injustice that these organizations spend their time writing and speaking about, lending powerful images and personal stories to movements and causes.

Revenues generated from documentary sales are recycled and used towards future PIP projects.

About Robert Greenwald

Robert 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 Peña has four feature length documentaries to her credit, including the critically acclaimed The Jaundiced Eye. She has also contributed investigative reports for BBC's Omnibus & Inside Story, A&E's Investigative Reports and The Discovery Channel, and was part of the team that created HBO's Death on the Job, which was nominated for an Academy Award.

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