Democracy Noir

Tracking the parallel struggles of three women—a politician, a journalist, and a medical professional—in their resistance to the authoritarian regime of Hungary’s autocratic leader, Viktor Orbán, director Connie Field’s (The Whistleblower of My Lai) riveting documentary is part political thriller, part character drama, and part clarion call to action. While there are a lot of big ideas at play, Field expertly knows when to narrow her focus and when to broaden it, allowing for an absorbing experience that feels painfully real and exceedingly personal while never losing sight of the larger stakes for the country should these women fail. What makes Democracy Noir especially effective is its universality. The situation in Hungary is not an abstract thing that occurred in the distant past. It is happening right now, and as the film makes clear, it could happen anywhere. Democracy Noir feels especially relevant for this particularly fraught political moment, all while pointing out larger social truths that remain timeless.