Film Screening & Discussion: When Film Becomes an Act of Civic Courage
As part of Democracy Week 2026 in Geneva, join us for a unique film screening of the award-winning documentary Democracy Noir: A New Dawn, followed by a conversation on democratic resilience and civic courage.
- Date : Wednesday 8 October 2026
- Time: 11.30 am – 2.00 pm
- Location: DCAF, Maison de la Paix, Petal 5, 9th floor, Open space
- Language: English
- Free, upon registration
What happens when democracy is dismantled not overnight, but step by step, from within?
Join us at lunchtime at the Maison de la Paix in Geneva for a screening of Democracy Noir: A New Dawn, the award-winning documentary by filmmaker Connie Field, followed by a conversation on democratic resilience, civic courage and the gradual erosion of democratic institutions. Set in Hungary, the film follows three women, an opposition politician, a journalist and a nurse, as they confront the erosion of democratic institutions and the shrinking space for dissent. Through their personal stories, Democracy Noir: A New Dawn offers an intimate perspective on how authoritarianism can take root from within a democracy, and what it means to resist it.
The screening will be followed by a moderated conversation with a documentary storyteller and a civic-space practitioner, exploring the role of filmmakers and storytelling in defending democracy. What can film reveal that political analysis or statistics cannot? When does documenting democratic erosion become an act of civic courage? And can storytelling help move us from awareness to engagement and action?
Participants are invited to bring their own lunch, which they may eat during the session. Beverages will be provided.
About Geneva Democracy Week
International Democracy Day, established by the UN, takes place every year on 15 September. Celebrated in more than 100 countries, it aims to ‘re-examine the state of democracy around the world’. To mark the occasion, the State Chancellery of the Canton of Geneva has been organising ‘Democracy Week’ since 2015, which focuses on a theme related to democratic issues in the canton of Geneva. The 2026 edition will be held from 3 to 11 October and will focus on the theme ‘Reinventing democracy: between tradition and innovation’.
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This screening is organised by the Caux Foundation and kindly hosted by DCAF.