ABOUT THE FILM

LOGLINE

As an unprecedented wave of book banning is sparked in Texas, Florida, and beyond, librarians under siege join forces as unlikely defenders fighting for intellectual freedom on the front lines of democracy.

LONG SYNOPSIS

As an unprecedented wave of book banning largely addressing race and LGBT issues is sparked in Texas, Florida, and beyond, librarians under siege join forces as unlikely defenders fighting for intellectual freedom on the front lines of democracy.

Filmmaker Kim A. Snyder (Newtown, Us Kids, 2025 Oscar®-Nominated Death By Numbers) takes us to an unexpected front line where librarians emerge as first responders in the fight for democracy, free access to information, and our First Amendment Rights. As they well know, controlling the flow of ideas means control over communities.

In Texas, the Krause List targets 850 books focused on race and LGBTQIA+ stories—triggering sweeping book bans across the U.S. at an unprecedented rate. As tensions escalate, librarians connect the dots from heated school and library board meetings nationwide to lay bare the underpinnings of White Christian Nationalism fueling the censorship efforts. Despite facing harassment, threats, and laws aimed at criminalizing their work—the librarians’ rallying cry for freedom to read is a chilling cautionary tale.

Director Kim A. Snyder

Producers Kim A. Snyder, Janique L Robillard, Maria Cuomo Cole, Jana Edelbaum

Executive Producers Sarah Jessica Parker, Alison Benson, Hallee Adelman, Amber Alonso, Kate Garwood, Marni Grossman, Geralyn Dreyfous, Tegan Acton, Emma Pompetti, Thomas Campbell Jackson, Penny B. Jackson, Melony & Adam Lewis, Regina K. Scully, Peter Resnick, Christian Camargo, Colleen Deveer, Rachel Cohen, Heidi Stolte, Chris Stolte , Ruth Ann Harnisch, Lois Vossen, Carrie Lozano

Co-Executive Producers Jamie Wolf, Nathalie Seaver, Deepen Shah, Taylor Vila, Beesham A. Seecharan, Claire Demere

Co-Producer Cynthia Kane

Supervising Producer Michael Kinomoto

Associate Producers Janna Devinsky, Gaby Edwards

Editors Mark Becker, María Gabriela Torres, Leah Boatright, Austin Reedy

Cinematographers Amy Bench, Paulius Kontijevas, Derek Wiesehahn

Sound Paul Hsu

Music Nico Muhly

Cast Suzette Baker, Becky Calzada, Carolyn Foote, Martha Hickson, Amanda Jones, Marie Masferrer, Julie Miller

FESTIVALS
2025: Sundance (World Premiere), SXSW

AVAILABLE TERRITORIES
North America Only

EXHIBITION FORMATS
DCP, Digital Download