SPRING 2026 FILM DISCUSSION SERIES
American Politics on Film
This spring, the Horowitz Center presents a special film discussion series exploring how American politics has been portrayed on screen across eight decades of cinema. From idealism and corruption to Cold War paranoia, constitutional crisis, media manipulation, and modern campaign machinery, these films trace the evolving story of American democracy through some of the most influential political movies ever made.
Offered virtually, the discussion series takes advantage of as many popular streaming formats as possible to make access easy for participants. The discussion series is like a book club, but with films.
Choose the films that interest you from the list below, watch them at your convenience before the scheduled discussion, and join the discussions on Friday evenings at 7 p.m. via Zoom.
For more information:
Http://www.howardcc.edu/filmfestivals/
Need Help Registering Online? Watch this tutorial to walk through the online registration process.
Sign up here: http://www.howardcc.edu/filmfestivals
The Zoom link will be emailed to registered individuals by noon on each discussion day. If you have any questions or problems during registration, contact the Horowitz Center Box Office.
This week:
March 20
JFK (1991) 3 hours 9 minutes
Oliver Stone’s explosive, fast-paced investigation of the Kennedy assassination, blending historical detail, conspiracy theory, and political paranoia into one of the most debated political films of the last half-century.
Storyline:
When New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison reopens the investigation into President John F. Kennedy’s assassination, he uncovers a labyrinth of conflicting accounts, vanished evidence, and witnesses with unsettling stories. As Garrison pursues his case, the film reconstructs the events leading up to November 22, 1963 through a blend of courtroom drama, flashbacks, interviews, and speculative reconstructions. Oliver Stone’s sweeping, multi-layered narrative explores the intersection of national trauma, political secrecy, and public mistrust—raising enduring questions about how Americans interpret and remember the defining shocks of their era.
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video: $3.79
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w16bYZ-4nmE
Coming Up:
March 27
Wag the Dog (1997) 1 hour 37 minutes
A sharp, darkly comic look at media manipulation and manufactured political narratives. When a scandal threatens a presidential campaign, a fabricated war becomes the ultimate distraction.
Storyline:
When a presidential campaign faces sudden scandal, a seasoned political fixer teams up with a Hollywood producer to fabricate an overseas crisis and redirect public attention. As the manufactured narrative grows increasingly elaborate, the film reveals how media, spectacle, and storytelling can be manipulated to serve political agendas. This satirical comedy remains strikingly relevant in its examination of public perception and the shaping of national discourse.
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video: $3.79
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=steA_PZPkc8
May 8
Game Change (2012) 1 hour 58 minutes
A behind-the-scenes portrait of the 2008 presidential campaign, focusing on the selection of Sarah Palin and the pressures of modern political branding, strategy, and crisis management.
Storyline:
Based on the bestselling book, this behind-the-scenes drama examines the 2008 presidential election through the lens of the McCain–Palin campaign. Focusing on the pressures of rapid candidate selection, media scrutiny, and the challenges of modern political branding, the film provides an intimate look at the personal and strategic tensions inside a national campaign operation. Its portrayal of campaign staff dynamics offers a revealing study of contemporary electoral politics.
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video: $3.99
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOa98P_Mv68
May 15
The Post (2017) 1 hour 56 minutes
Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks star in this riveting drama about the publication of the Pentagon Papers. A story of press freedom, government secrecy, and the moral courage required to uphold democratic principles.
Storyline:
Set during the publication of the Pentagon Papers, the film follows Washington Post publisher Katharine Graham and editor Ben Bradlee as they confront legal threats, political pressure, and internal doubts over whether to release classified documents exposing government secrecy about the Vietnam War. Their decision becomes a turning point for press freedom and the relationship between journalism and the state. With high stakes and moral urgency, The Post dramatizes a pivotal moment in American democratic history.
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video: $3.79
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrXlY6gzTTM
Zoom Information
The Zoom link will be sent in the pre-show email which goes out at noon on the day of the discussion. Individuals who sign up after that time will receive the Zoom link in their confirmation email. If you use Yahoo, Gmail, AOL, or Hotmail, please make sure to check your spam/junk folders for these emails.
Ticket Information
All tickets are free of charge
To start your order, click on the desired date on the calendar to start your order.
Need Ticket Help?
Not sure how to purchase tickets online? We have online tutorials to help patrons
navigate our online box office system.
- How to create an account and purchase tickets through the Horowitz Center Online Box Office
If have any questions during this process, please call the Horowitz Center Box Office. You can also send us a screenshot of the screen where you are having difficulty.
CONTACT US
PHONE: 443-518-1500 EXT 0
EMAIL: boxoffice@howardcc.edu
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