Banned Together

Banned Together is an excellent film documenting the challenges faced by students, community members, and librarians as censorship in the US increases.

No community is immune to book challenges and bans. It is happening everywhere. The antidote to the fear based tactics used to censor the right to read is education. Each of us has a responsibility to be prepared to defend the freedom to read. Each of us deserves to be able to read books where we can see ourselves and our experiences represented. The attack on books disproportionately affects BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities - the very same communities that need representation in these trying times.

This film provides necessary knowledge as well as a good dose of hope. It is heartening to know that people from all walks of life are standing up for the freedom to read. I hope that you will watch this film and that it will spark conversations in your circles about the importance of reading and how crucial it is we protect the right to read.

Sometimes it takes youth, not yet jaded, not so beaten down, to stand up for what is so obviously right... to call the fanatical, un-American book banning what it is, and to actually do something about it. As an adult battling for the rights of parents, students and teachers against the faux-"parental rights", astroturf groups, it's often exhausting to face the same nonsense arguments again and again. These kids show the power of community, of supporting and encouraging one another, and the power of hope. The film does a great job of showing the scope of the issue -- talking to authors, educators, even letting the censors speak for themselves.

This was such an amazing documentary about the importance of free speech and the right to read. It was told beautifully through the eyes of high school students in South Carolina as they worked to reintroduce books that were banned in their school district. It highlights the importance of books in our society and really peels back the curtains on why people are trying to ban books which I found fascinating. Unfortunately, it does end right before the current administration took office so obviously things are even more volatile in this area right now. But if anything that just reinvigorates me more to stand up for what I believe in.

Banned Together was the first film I watched when I joined the Defense of Democracy Film Festival, and I couldn't have asked for a more meaningful entry point.

With so much public debate around banned books and the erosion of public libraries, I was eager to understand the deeper, more personal layers of the issue. What this film delivers is nothing short of extraordinary.

The young people at the center of Banned Together, particularly the groups of teenage girls who lead with passion, clarity, and a love of literacy, were inspiring. Watching them advocate for access to books and ideas reminded me of what true civic engagement looks like. Even more powerful was seeing adults standing beside them, helping to amplify their voices and guide them to public forums where dialogue could flourish.

The film's diversity is another vital element. It reflects the truth that this battle for knowledge, inclusion, and representation affects all of us. We are in this together - and Banned Together doesn't just say that, it shows it.

As someone on the inside of a film festival, I know I have the privilege of early access. But this is a story the public must see. The issue of book banning is not symbolic, it's actively reshaping communities. And this documentary answers with clarity, urgency, and heart.

Highly recommended.

As a high school librarian I'm aware of what's happening in our country regarding books being banned and challenged. But the vast majority of Americans have no idea about the storm that is brewing between the 1st Amendment and far-right groups like Moms for Liberty.

It's so depressing to read the news each day and see that yet another state has banned books such as Fahrenheit 451 or George Orwell's 1984. They are passing laws that not only can't the books be taught in the schools, but that students can't even be in possession of the books while on school property.

Watching the teens in Banned Together will give you hope for the future.

Please watch this powerful and engaging documentary!