The day democracy almost broke — filmed in real time, analyzed in horror.
January 6, 2021 marks a turning point in U.S. history. The storming of the U.S. Capitol brings the United States to the brink of a political abyss. An angry, armed mob invades the Congress building to prevent Joe Biden from being officially confirmed as the winner of the 59th U.S. election and thus becoming the 46th President of the USA. The lie about Donald Trump's stolen election victory explodes into violence, five people die in the heart of U.S. democracy. The attackers' actions are documented almost completely, as is the helplessness of the security forces. Since then, most of the perpetrators have been identified and charged. But the rift in society continues. Many Republican congressmen remain with Trump, a renewed candidacy for the presidential election in 2024 is still possible. The attack on the U.S. Capitol leaves a shock with all convinced democrats. How could it possibly come this far? This documentary tries to reconstruct and analyze from very different perspectives.
Direction
Koren and Gallenmüller weave chaos into coherent narrative structure.
Editing
Juxtaposition of mob euphoria and aftermath testimony is devastating.
Production
German perspective adds crucial distance American docs often lack.
Director
Gaston Saša Koren
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Director Gaston Saša Koren is primarily known for music documentaries; this marked his pivot to political filmmaking after witnessing the events live on German television.
Released in 2022 before the January 6th Committee hearings concluded, the documentary's speculation about 2024 now reads as eerily prescient rather than alarmist.
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