Kim A. Snyder’s powerful documentary chronicles the fight against censorship in an era of Christian nationalism.
The Librarians is a sobering and essential documentary detailing America’s accelerating descent into theocratic censorship. Director Kim A. Snyder follows several brave librarians in states like Texas and Florida, placing the necessary spotlight on a profession that shockingly has become dangerous – both legally and physically. Just five years ago, such a claim would have seemed alarmist. Now, it rings with urgency.
As a compelling chronical of an artificially inflated culture war, the film sympathetically highlights the proud librarians on the frontlines—citizens who strive to transform their subjugation and silence into acts of resistance and hope. The situation is so dire that even the simple victory of preventing a library closure is celebrated as a revolutionary win.
Expanding on from the similar but slight 2023 short documentary The ABCs of Book Banning, The Librarians takes a more detailed and experimental approach. Blending incendiary, real-world footage with cultural touchstones like The Twilight Zone, the golden age of Hollywood, Fahrenheit 451 and even archival images of Nazi book burnings – chilling parallels resonate in today’s climate. Echoing the thesis of radical 2022 thriller How to Blow Up a Pipeline, Snyder’s film argues the time for polite debate is over—urgent, even drastic action is necessary to preserve the very history now being erased by cruel legislation.
Placing the origins and blame squarely on both corrupt Republican governments and the 2021-founded Christian nationalist organisation Moms for Liberty, the film exposes the oppressive nature of their grassroots campaign to purge any book containing themes of sex, gender, race, queerness, or criticism of America. For these politicians and activists, upholding the tenets of the Bible is prioritised over the pursuit of truth. As one African American pastor notes, the bans are being enforced by those “who say they love God.” Intercut with footage of local council meetings where members do everything in their power to dismantle children’s libraries, the film draws a stark contrast: hate is consistently chosen over God’s love.
The Librarians maintains an earnest and unwavering empathy for those most affected. Ultimately, it is defiant librarians, marginalised communities, and children who suffer most under these restrictions. When the film follows the money trail, it quickly uncovers the usual suspects: political donors and conservative billionaires bankrolling these incendiary movements. Though the film may repeat this point, the message is unmistakable—this is not about “protecting children.” It’s about promoting anti-intellectualism, enforcing Christian fundamentalism, and silencing Black, queer, and trans voices.
The film effectively exposes the deep contradictions at the core of Christian nationalist ideology. In one scene, a U.S. Army veteran turned librarian points out that book How to Be an Antiracist contains not a trace of pornography—despite being banned under the false claim that it exposes children to explicit sexual content.
Another moment highlights a children’s picture book that has two male penguins taking care of a stranded infant. Despite no evidence of harm to children, the state would deem the book inappropriate, predatory, and immoral. Teachers or librarians who suggest such books risk being charged with inciting grooming, paedophilia, or distributing pornography in children. In what world does that reflect an America that stands for freedom and equality?
The Librarians serves as a time capsule of an America that refuses to acknowledge—let alone disseminate—its own history. In celebrating librarians like Carolyn Foote and Suzette Baker who take a stand against book banning, the film becomes a noble rejection of fascist ideology—a dogma that forgets the people it seeks to silence will always remain part of these increasingly theocratic communities. It is an infuriating, pressing, and courageous reminder that conservative misinformation and propaganda must not only be rejected, but actively and persistently fought against.
The Librarians is now showing at the Melbourne International Film Festival.
