Democracy on screen returns!

After the summer break, Democracy on Screen returns with a special screening of Dissidents on Monday, September 21. Presented in partnership with NYU’s John Brademas Center, this series brings together documentary screenings and conversations on contemporary political and social issues.

Dissidents follows three Chinese dissidents living in the United States as they continue their fight for democracy while facing surveillance, intimidation, and threats from the Chinese government and its supporters abroad. Through their personal stories, the film examines the growing reach of China’s repression beyond its borders. Juntao Wang, a leader of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and head of the Democratic Party of China in exile, faces repeated attacks from pro-Beijing groups. Artist Weiming Chen, known for his politically charged sculptures, has been surveilled and seen his work destroyed. Meanwhile, asylum seeker Chunyan Wang, forced into exile after losing her home, risks arrest as she confronts Chinese officials during U.S.–China trade talks.

The screening will be followed by a conversation with director and producer Yi Chen and national security and technology expert Bill Drexel. The discussion will be moderated by Charles Jordan, Faculty Member at NYU Washington and instructor of U.S.-China Relations, and will explore the film’s themes and the broader issues surrounding human rights, religious freedom, and U.S.-China relations.