Ava DuVernay at '14th' Premiere: 'We Need to Fight'

TVS News AI, editorially supervised, presents Ava DuVernay at '14th' Premiere: 'We Need to Fight'.

Ava DuVernay warned of an "erosion of democracy" in the USA at the world premiere of her Netflix documentary "14th" at the New York Film Festival 2026. The director called on the audience to take action with the words "We need to fight." Together with politician Stacey Abrams, she spoke about threats to democracy. The film about the 14th Amendment screened as the closing night film of the storied festival.

We need to fight.

What "14th" is about

"14th" – the title refers to the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution – according to the film festival's announcement, is dedicated both to the historical significance of this amendment and to the challenges it faces today. The film screened as the Closing Night Screening of the New York Film Festival 2026 – a programming slot that is typically reserved for particularly weighty contributions at the storied festival.

On stage with Stacey Abrams

DuVernay was not alone at the premiere. As the reporting indicates, politician and activist Stacey Abrams was also present. Both spoke about threats to US democracy and the need to stand against these developments.

That the film filled the closing night of one of the most important US film festivals underscores the signal effect that the organizers and the filmmaker associate with the project. The premiere fell during a phase in which questions surrounding US democracy dominate public debate.