Film series: Cornell Cinema Goes to Washington

A forlorn looking man standing in the center of a courtroom holding a disorganized stack of papers in his hand. — "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" (1939) Courtesy of Swank Motion Pictures.

“Cornell Cinema Goes to Washington” features a selection of iconic, American political dramas in honor of the upcoming presidential election.

The series includes films that spotlight critical components of the American political process: freedom of the press with All The President’s Men (1979), Congressional representation in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), trial by a jury of peers through 12 Angry Men (1957), national defense and the armed forces in Dr. Strangelove, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964), and political activism through the lens of Ava DuVernay's Selma (2014), which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.

A core focus across all films is the vital role of individual citizens — albeit, mainly fictional ones — in sustaining American democracy and defending its democratic ideals. The series aims to provide space for collective reflection upon the challenges facing our democracy today and inspiration for the engaged citizens of tomorrow.

Cosponsored by the Department of Government, the American Studies Program, and the Center on Global Democracy at the Brooks School of Public Policy.