Film

In the Arab-American neighborhood outside of Chicago where Assia Boundaoui grew up, most of her neighbors believed they were under government surveillance for over a decade. In this stunning documentary, Boundaoui, a journalist and filmmaker, conducts a comprehensive investigation to corroborate their worst fears. The Feeling of Being Watched is an attempt to shine a light on a secret FBI operation to surveil one American community. Unearthing tens of thousands of pages of government documents, Boundaoui connects the dots to one of the largest counter-terrorism investigations conducted in the US before 9/11. In the process, she confronts long-hidden truths about the FBI’s relationship to her own community, grappling with the new knowledge of a lifetime of surveillance on herself and her family.

Post-screening discussion
with Omar Farah, Senior Staff Attorney, Center for Constitutional Rights and filmmaker Assia Boundaoui, moderated by Darnell Moore

The Center for Constitutional Rights, believes in the transformative power of art and culture. Freedom Flicks, the Center’s long-running film series, harnesses the power of film to educate, activate, and build community. Freedom Flicks engages audiences across disciplines in stories of struggle and courage that shape our world, past and present. The Center's programming includes screenings of cutting-edge, socially engaged films followed by a short conversation with storytellers, lawyers, and activists.