Seberg 2019

As Jean Seberg readies herself to leave Paris, she bids farewell to her husband, Romain Gary, and their child, unaware that this departure signals the start of a tumultuous journey ahead. On her flight, she meets Hakim Jamal, a member of the Black Panther Party (BPP), who claims a right to first-class seating by asserting that the widow of Malcolm X deserves special treatment. Captivated by Jamal’s passionate conviction and magnetic presence, Seberg strikes up a conversation with him.

Upon arriving in Los Angeles, she is confronted by a significant protest unfolding at the airport, driven by the same activists who advocated for Malcolm X’s widow on her flight. Feeling deeply affected by their fight, Seberg lends her voice to the cause, raising her fist as an emblem of solidarity with the Black Power movement.

Unbeknownst to Seberg, undercover FBI agents—including Jack Solomon—have been shadowing her since her landing. Solomon proposes that the FBI keep tabs on her movements and intercept her communications, fueled by her supposed affiliation with the Black Power movement. As Seberg dives deeper into Jamal’s world, their relationship intensifies into a passionate affair, which becomes increasingly complicated due to their existing marital commitments. The FBI’s controversial surveillance program, COINTELPRO, captures their most private moments, even breaching the walls of Jamal’s marriage to Dorothy Jamal by airing their intimate encounters to her.

The emotional upheaval escalates when Jamal decides to end the affair with Seberg, leaving her heartbroken and vulnerable under the FBI’s continuous surveillance. Solomon tries to help by reaching out anonymously to caution Seberg about the risks tied to her involvement with the movement, which only deepens her sense of paranoia. As her life becomes more entwined with the complexities of the Black Power movement, Seberg discovers she is pregnant, but the identity of the father remains shrouded in mystery.

The relentless COINTELPRO agents further harass Seberg, spreading malicious rumors that her baby is fathered by a BPP member. This web of deceit and emotional manipulation takes a severe toll on Seberg, leading her to the brink of despair and even an attempted suicide. The loss of her unborn child, coupled with the FBI’s smear campaign regarding its paternity, plunges her into a profound depression.

In a courageous move, Seberg declares her intent to sue the publication that propagated the damaging rumors. At this critical juncture, Solomon unveils the truth of the FBI’s surveillance scheme to her, revealing hard evidence of their infiltration and manipulative tactics. As Seberg confronts the harsh reality of her circumstances, her real-life counterpart ultimately relocates to Paris, remaining a devoted supporter of the BPP until her death in 1979, which was reportedly due to probable suicide.