Directed by Laura Nix, the documentary examines the state of US democracy ahead of the 2024 presidential election and will be screened for the first time publicly in Italy. The screening will take place on 29 January 2025, at Palazzo Buontalenti, in the heart of Florence. Registrations are open.
The premiere will come just days after Donald Trump’s inauguration on 20 January 2025, as the US faces renewed debates over democratic integrity and political accountability.
Featuring the sharp satire of Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Ann Telnaes from The Washington Post, the documentary exposes the fragility of democratic systems, using wit and incisive commentary to highlight political hypocrisy and systemic challenges.
Ann Telnaes recently made headlines by resigning from The Washington Post after the newspaper refused to publish her controversial cartoon depicting Jeff Bezos kneeling before Donald Trump. The cartoon critiqued billionaire tech leaders currying favour with the incoming president. Reflecting on her departure, Telnaes stated:
“I believe that editorial cartoonists are vital for civic debate and have an essential role in journalism.” and: “As an editorial cartoonist, my job is to hold powerful people and institutions accountable. For the first time, my editor prevented me from doing that critical job. So I have decided to leave the Post… I will not stop holding truth to power through my cartooning, because as they say, ‘Democracy dies in darkness.’”
The screening will be followed by a debate featuring EUI Professors Nathalie Tocci and Tommaso Nannicini. Moderated by Annalisa Piras, film curator, filmmaker and journalist and Fabrizio Tassinari, Executive Director of the Florence School of Transnational Governance at the EUI, the panel will pick up where the film leaves off, discussing the state of democracy in the wake of Trump’s return to power.
Visioni d’Europa continues with upcoming screenings:
- 26 February: 20 Days in Mariupol (2023) – Directed by Mstyslav Chernov, this Oscar-winning documentary follows Ukrainian journalists documenting the horrors of war in the besieged city during the first days of the Russian invasion.
- 26 March: Blue Carbon (2023) – Directed by Nicolas Brown and produced by Oscar-nominated Fernando Meirelles, this film examines the vital role of oceans in combating climate change.
The selection of documentaries is curated by Annalisa Piras, Director and co-founder of the Wake Up Europe project.
Find more about the event and register here.