'Democracy Noir': Hungary's Orbanization. Film Screening and Discussion

Democracy Noir provides a sweeping account of one of the most consequential regimes of this century. It paints an incisive portrait of how Orbán used a free and democratic election to install authoritarian rule in Hungary, enjoying widespread approval from Hungarian nationalists as well as global conservative neighbors inclined to his illiberal views. Revered by Donald Trump and the Heritage Foundation, Orban’s influence helped shape Project 2025 and the current policies of the Republican Party.

Democracy Noir tells this story through the activism of its three subjects, - opposition politician Timea Szabo, journalist Babett Oroszi, and nurse Nikoletta (Niko) Antal – detailing how unchecked power can quickly remove rights that were once taken for granted. It shows the women coming to terms with their country’s unravelling social and cultural landscape, and their experiences are a cautionary tale for the rest of the world. As much as it is an exploration of their courage and resistance, Democracy Noir is also a timely lesson on how the rise of autocratic politicians around the world and an increasingly emboldened far-right politics pose dire consequences for us all.

Event Speakers:

Connie Field: Filmmaker, Clarity Films

Rochelle Ruthchild: Women's and Gender Studies Historian

Host or Publisher Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies