🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 99 (from laksa163)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa099.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/06/democracy-noir-viktor-orban-hungary-trump\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/06/democracy-noir-viktor-orban-hungary-trump\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2025\/sep\/06\/democracy-noir-viktor-orban-hungary-trump","crawl_time":1774238940,"first_indexed_time":1757163797,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,theguardian!www,\/world\/2025\/sep\/06\/democracy-noir-viktor-orban-hungary-trump s443","src_root_hash":"4161074618625082499","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"Hungary documentary reveals sobering similarities between Orbán and Trump | Viktor Orbán | The Guardian","meta_descriptions":["Democracy Noir, portraying Orbán’s creeping authoritarian takeover, has urgent relevance for US audiences"],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"Just over 40 seconds into Democracy Noir, Connie Field’s\ndocumentary\nabout contemporary\nHungary\n, the moral of the tale becomes clear.\nOn the heels of striking opening shots of the Danube and Budapest,\nViktor Orbán\n, the Hungarian prime minister and the film’s central subject, is seen introducing himself, in English, to a group of political activists, followed by footage of him chatting amiably with\nVladimir Putin\n– and then another scene of him shaking hands with a broadly smiling\nDonald Trump\n.\nPerceptive viewers are unlikely to miss the subliminal message; this is not just about the politics of a smallish east-central European country.\nOn the contrary, the 90-minute documentary – opening in the US this week and portraying Orbán’s creeping authoritarian takeover of an erstwhile liberal democracy through the eyes of three women; Timea Szabó, an opposition politician, Babette Oroszi, a television journalist, and Niko Antal, a nurse – has universal resonance and urgent relevance for American audiences grappling with the consequences of Trump.\n“I’d say this is the most ‘hitting the zeitgeist’ film I’ve made,” said Field, an award-winning director whose\nprevious work\nincludes documentaries about the fall of apartheid in South Africa, the US civil rights movement and the My Lai massacre during the Vietnam war.\n“One of our absolute, biggest dangers we’re facing in the world today is the demise of democracy. People think that word is abstract. It’s not. It’s really the best system we have to work towards real equality in our societies.”\nFields, whose husband, Pierre Divenyi, is Hungarian, started filming and chronicling events in the country after witnessing a demonstration in Budapest’s Liberty Square in 2014. Demonstrators were protesting against a memorial commissioned by Orbán’s government they said falsely portrayed the second world war-era Hungarian government as a victim, rather than recognize that it was allied with Nazi Germany.\nHer initial aim was to depict the decline and possible demise of democracy in\nHungary\n– a Nato and European Union member – as Orbán relentlessly pursued his goal of fashioning an illiberal state by changing the constitution to skew election outcomes and retain power, while emptying institutions like the courts, universities and public broadcasters of dissenting elements.\nBut the advent of Trump – and the forging of ties between the two men – has made the topic startlingly relevant in her native US.\nSome of Trump’s leading followers have cited Hungary\nas the model\nthat the US should emulate. Orbán\nvisited Trump\nat Mar-a-Lago three times in 2024, including in the weeks after his election victory over Kamala Harris. In turn, CPAC, the Trump-supporting rightwing political action committee, has\nstaged several conferences\nin Budapest.\nBut the sensitivities over Orbán’s links with Trump have become clear in Washington DC, where the documentary’s distributor, Clarity Films, has yet to find a local cinema prepared to screen it – in at least one case, allegedly because of fears that it may upset people linked to the White House.\n“One theater owner said they didn’t want to alienate their audience, or some of their audience, or people working for Trump,” said Field. “They told my distributor they were afraid of alienating half their constituency.”\nSeparately, a cinema in Boise, Idaho – a solidly Republican state – withdrew from an agreement to show the film, claiming that there was no local market.\nField is convinced that the events of recent months, when the Trump’s administration has targeted immigrants, transgender rights and vast segments of the federal government, will enable those Americans who do see the film to clearly see the parallels.\n“I’ve had certain small audiences,” Field said, including a benefit event for Indivisible, a progressive movement that has been involved in protests against Trump since his return to the White House.\n“They went: ‘Oh my God, this is what’s happening.’ It gave them a way to understand it totally by seeing all the similarities in the strategies. It became apparent to people in a much clearer way, that’s what they were facing.”\nField sees one overarching common thread between Trump and Orbán, a former liberal and George Soros-financed scholar at Oxford University who underwent a sharp political conversion after leading a center-right government to defeat in 2002.\n“After he lost the election in 2002, it put him in a real big depression,” she said. “So he went about literally trying to organize a constituency that he could represent, that would be loyal to him.” She drew a parallel with Trump’s construction of the “Make America great again” movement.\nBut she also sees sobering – and disturbing – differences, leading her to conclude that Trump poses a greater danger.\nWhere Orbán moved slowly, accumulating autocratic power gradually over several years, Trump is now subjecting the US to “a complete onslaught”.\n“He’s trying to paint a picture for us now that this is coming for you, if you don’t watch out. And he starts with the most vulnerable, the immigrants. Orbán never had to use any of that.”\nStill, Field’s message is one of hope. The US has two advantages in countering his autocratic ambitions that Hungary lacked: the devolving of political power to the states (in contrast to Hungary’s easily mastered unitary model) and the Democrats’ status as a well-funded opposition party.\nIn the face of years of spirited Hungarian resistance, exemplified by the three heroines of Field’s film, Orbán remains in office, although polls show his governing Fidesz party on course to lose next year’s scheduled election to the opposition Tisza party, led by Péter Magyar. That would signal the first change in power in 16 years.\n“The story I tell is of people trying to resist this, no matter what,” said Field.\n“The most important thing for me now is that audiences understand we must fight back and that democracy is crucially important to everything. I was very impressed by these Hungarian women who’ve been carrying on this fight for 12 years and never giving up. I find that very invigorating and hopeful – and I hope my American audience finds it the same way.”","attrs_markdown":"![](https:\/\/sb.scorecardresearch.com\/p?c1=2&c2=6035250&cv=2.0&cj=1&cs_ucfr=0&comscorekw=world)\n\n[Skip to main content](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2025\/sep\/06\/democracy-noir-viktor-orban-hungary-trump#maincontent)[Skip to navigation](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2025\/sep\/06\/democracy-noir-viktor-orban-hungary-trump#navigation)\n\nClose dialogue\n\n1\/1\n\nNext image\n\nPrevious image\n\nToggle caption\n\n[Skip to navigation](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2025\/sep\/06\/democracy-noir-viktor-orban-hungary-trump#navigation)\n\n[Print subscriptions](https:\/\/support.theguardian.com\/subscribe\/weekly?REFPVID=mn2o20zf3t9w6q76nw20&INTCMP=undefined&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22%3A%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22%2C%22componentId%22%3A%22PrintSubscriptionsHeaderLink%22%2C%22componentType%22%3A%22ACQUISITIONS_HEADER%22%2C%22referrerPageviewId%22%3A%22mn2o20zf3t9w6q76nw20%22%2C%22referrerUrl%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2025%2Fsep%2F06%2Fdemocracy-noir-viktor-orban-hungary-trump%22%7D)\n\n[Search jobs](https:\/\/jobs.theguardian.com\/)\n\n[Sign in](https:\/\/profile.theguardian.com\/signin?INTCMP=DOTCOM_NEWHEADER_SIGNIN&ABCMP=ab-sign-in&componentEventParams=componentType%3Didentityauthentication%26componentId%3Dguardian_signin_header)\n\nEur\n\n- [Europe edition](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/preference\/edition\/eur)\n- [UK edition](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/preference\/edition\/uk)\n- [US edition](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/preference\/edition\/us)\n- [Australia edition](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/preference\/edition\/au)\n- [International edition](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/preference\/edition\/int)\n\n[The Guardian - Back to homeThe Guardian](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/)\n\n- [News](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/)\n- [Opinion](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/commentisfree)\n- [Sport](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport)\n- [Culture](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/culture)\n- [Lifestyle](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle)\n\nShow more\n\nHide expanded menu\n\n- News\n  - [View all News](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/)\n  - [World news](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world)\n  - [UK news](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/uk-news)\n  - [Climate crisis](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/environment\/climate-crisis)\n  - [Ukraine](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/ukraine)\n  - [Environment](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/environment)\n  - [Science](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/science)\n  - [Global development](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/global-development)\n  - [Football](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/football)\n  - [Tech](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology)\n  - [Business](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/business)\n  - [Obituaries](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/obituaries)\n- Opinion\n  - [View all Opinion](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/commentisfree)\n  - [The Guardian view](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/profile\/editorial)\n  - [Columnists](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/index\/contributors)\n  - [Cartoons](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/tone\/cartoons)\n  - [Opinion videos](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/type\/video+tone\/comment)\n  - [Letters](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/tone\/letters)\n- Sport\n  - [View all Sport](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport)\n  - [Football](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/football)\n  - [Cricket](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport\/cricket)\n  - [Rugby union](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport\/rugby-union)\n  - [Tennis](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport\/tennis)\n  - [Cycling](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport\/cycling)\n  - [F1](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport\/formulaone)\n  - [Golf](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport\/golf)\n  - [US sports](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport\/us-sport)\n- Culture\n  - [View all Culture](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/culture)\n  - [Books](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/books)\n  - [Music](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/music)\n  - [TV & radio](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/tv-and-radio)\n  - [Art & design](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/artanddesign)\n  - [Film](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/film)\n  - [Games](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/games)\n  - [Classical](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/music\/classicalmusicandopera)\n  - [Stage](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/stage)\n- Lifestyle\n  - [View all Lifestyle](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle)\n  - [Fashion](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/fashion)\n  - [Food](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/food)\n  - [Recipes](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/tone\/recipes)\n  - [Love & sex](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle\/love-and-sex)\n  - [Health & fitness](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle\/health-and-wellbeing)\n  - [Home & garden](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle\/home-and-garden)\n  - [Women](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle\/women)\n  - [Men](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle\/men)\n  - [Family](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle\/family)\n  - [Travel](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/travel)\n  - [Money](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/money)\n  - [Support us](https:\/\/support.theguardian.com\/?INTCMP=side_menu_support&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22:%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22,%22componentType%22:%22ACQUISITIONS_HEADER%22,%22componentId%22:%22side_menu_support%22%7D)\n  - [Print subscriptions](https:\/\/support.theguardian.com\/subscribe\/weekly?REFPVID=mn2o20zf3t9w6q76nw20&INTCMP=undefined&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22%3A%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22%2C%22componentId%22%3A%22PrintSubscriptionsHeaderLink%22%2C%22componentType%22%3A%22ACQUISITIONS_HEADER%22%2C%22referrerPageviewId%22%3A%22mn2o20zf3t9w6q76nw20%22%2C%22referrerUrl%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2025%2Fsep%2F06%2Fdemocracy-noir-viktor-orban-hungary-trump%22%7D)\n- - [Search jobs](https:\/\/jobs.theguardian.com\/)\n  - [Holidays](https:\/\/holidays.theguardian.com\/?INTCMP=holidays_int_web_newheader)\n  - [Digital Archive](https:\/\/theguardian.newspapers.com\/)\n  - [Guardian Licensing](https:\/\/licensing.theguardian.com\/)\n  - [Live events](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/guardian-live-events?INTCMP=live_eur_header_dropdown)\n  - [About Us](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/about)\n  - [The Guardian app](https:\/\/app.adjust.com\/16xt6hai)\n  - [Video](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/video)\n  - [Podcasts](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/podcasts)\n  - [Pictures](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/inpictures)\n  - [Newsletters](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/email-newsletters)\n  - [Today's paper](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/theguardian)\n  - [Inside the Guardian](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/insidetheguardian)\n  - [Guardian Weekly](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/weekly?INTCMP=gdnwb_mawns_editorial_gweekly_GW_TopNav_Int)\n  - [Crosswords](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/crosswords)\n  - [Wordiply](https:\/\/www.wordiply.com\/)\n  - [Corrections](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/theguardian\/series\/corrections-and-clarifications)\n  - [Tips](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/tips)\n- - [Search jobs](https:\/\/jobs.theguardian.com\/)\n  - [Holidays](https:\/\/holidays.theguardian.com\/?INTCMP=holidays_int_web_newheader)\n  - [Digital Archive](https:\/\/theguardian.newspapers.com\/)\n  - [Guardian Licensing](https:\/\/licensing.theguardian.com\/)\n  - [Live events](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/guardian-live-events?INTCMP=live_eur_header_dropdown)\n  - [About Us](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/about)\n\n- [World](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world)\n- [Europe](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/europe-news)\n- [US news](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news)\n- [Americas](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/americas)\n- [Asia](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/asia)\n- [Australia](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/australia-news)\n- [Middle East](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/middleeast)\n- [Africa](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/africa)\n- [Inequality](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/inequality)\n- [Global development](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/global-development)\n\n![a man in a suit](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/efd7f030ac029f3fed6539eec068cf088e88506f\/0_0_7263_4844\/master\/7263.jpg?width=465&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)\n\nThe Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán, in The Hague, Netherlands, on 24 June. Photograph: Beata Zawrzel\/NurPhoto via Getty Images\n\n[View image in fullscreen](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2025\/sep\/06\/democracy-noir-viktor-orban-hungary-trump#img-1)\n\nThe Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán, in The Hague, Netherlands, on 24 June. Photograph: Beata Zawrzel\/NurPhoto via Getty Images\n\n[Viktor Orbán](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/viktor-orban)\n\nThis article is more than **6 months old**\n\n# Hungary documentary reveals sobering similarities between Orbán and Trump\nThis article is more than 6 months old\n\nDemocracy Noir, portraying Orbán’s creeping authoritarian takeover, has urgent relevance for US audiences\n\n[Robert Tait](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/profile\/roberttait)\n\nSat 6 Sep 2025 15.00 CEST\n\nLast modified on Sat 6 Sep 2025 15.04 CEST\n\nShare\n\n[Prefer the Guardian on Google](https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=theguardian.com)\n\nJust over 40 seconds into Democracy Noir, Connie Field’s [documentary](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/film\/documentary) about contemporary [Hungary](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/hungary), the moral of the tale becomes clear.\n\nOn the heels of striking opening shots of the Danube and Budapest, [Viktor Orbán](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/viktor-orban), the Hungarian prime minister and the film’s central subject, is seen introducing himself, in English, to a group of political activists, followed by footage of him chatting amiably with [Vladimir Putin](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/vladimir-putin) – and then another scene of him shaking hands with a broadly smiling [Donald Trump](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/donaldtrump).\n\nPerceptive viewers are unlikely to miss the subliminal message; this is not just about the politics of a smallish east-central European country.\n\nOn the contrary, the 90-minute documentary – opening in the US this week and portraying Orbán’s creeping authoritarian takeover of an erstwhile liberal democracy through the eyes of three women; Timea Szabó, an opposition politician, Babette Oroszi, a television journalist, and Niko Antal, a nurse – has universal resonance and urgent relevance for American audiences grappling with the consequences of Trump.\n\n“I’d say this is the most ‘hitting the zeitgeist’ film I’ve made,” said Field, an award-winning director whose [previous work](https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/name\/nm0275908\/) includes documentaries about the fall of apartheid in South Africa, the US civil rights movement and the My Lai massacre during the Vietnam war.\n\n[![Viktor Orban and Donald Trump](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/de3fca3e0878ab82d0e49ec5cd9732f255ee940d\/1_0_4998_4000\/master\/4998.jpg?width=460&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=361457333eb6be38d1a9926fb88393b0)He is the strongman who inspired Trump – but is Viktor Orbán losing his grip on power? Read more](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/news\/ng-interactive\/2025\/jun\/01\/he-is-the-strongman-who-inspired-trump-but-is-viktor-orban-losing-his-grip-on-power)\n\n“One of our absolute, biggest dangers we’re facing in the world today is the demise of democracy. People think that word is abstract. It’s not. It’s really the best system we have to work towards real equality in our societies.”\n\nFields, whose husband, Pierre Divenyi, is Hungarian, started filming and chronicling events in the country after witnessing a demonstration in Budapest’s Liberty Square in 2014. Demonstrators were protesting against a memorial commissioned by Orbán’s government they said falsely portrayed the second world war-era Hungarian government as a victim, rather than recognize that it was allied with Nazi Germany.\n\nHer initial aim was to depict the decline and possible demise of democracy in [Hungary](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/hungary) – a Nato and European Union member – as Orbán relentlessly pursued his goal of fashioning an illiberal state by changing the constitution to skew election outcomes and retain power, while emptying institutions like the courts, universities and public broadcasters of dissenting elements.\n\nBut the advent of Trump – and the forging of ties between the two men – has made the topic startlingly relevant in her native US.\n\nSome of Trump’s leading followers have cited Hungary [as the model](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2025\/feb\/07\/trump-viktor-orban-electoral-autocracy) that the US should emulate. Orbán [visited Trump](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/article\/2024\/jul\/11\/nato-viktor-orban-peace-mission-trump) at Mar-a-Lago three times in 2024, including in the weeks after his election victory over Kamala Harris. In turn, CPAC, the Trump-supporting rightwing political action committee, has [staged several conferences](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2023\/may\/05\/cpac-hungary-kari-lake-rightwing-press-freedom) in Budapest.\n\nBut the sensitivities over Orbán’s links with Trump have become clear in Washington DC, where the documentary’s distributor, Clarity Films, has yet to find a local cinema prepared to screen it – in at least one case, allegedly because of fears that it may upset people linked to the White House.\n\n“One theater owner said they didn’t want to alienate their audience, or some of their audience, or people working for Trump,” said Field. “They told my distributor they were afraid of alienating half their constituency.”\n\n> One of our absolute, biggest dangers we’re facing in the world today is the demise of democracy. People think that word is abstract. It’s not\n\nConnie Field, Democracy Noir director\n\nSeparately, a cinema in Boise, Idaho – a solidly Republican state – withdrew from an agreement to show the film, claiming that there was no local market.\n\nField is convinced that the events of recent months, when the Trump’s administration has targeted immigrants, transgender rights and vast segments of the federal government, will enable those Americans who do see the film to clearly see the parallels.\n\n“I’ve had certain small audiences,” Field said, including a benefit event for Indivisible, a progressive movement that has been involved in protests against Trump since his return to the White House.\n\n“They went: ‘Oh my God, this is what’s happening.’ It gave them a way to understand it totally by seeing all the similarities in the strategies. It became apparent to people in a much clearer way, that’s what they were facing.”\n\nField sees one overarching common thread between Trump and Orbán, a former liberal and George Soros-financed scholar at Oxford University who underwent a sharp political conversion after leading a center-right government to defeat in 2002.\n\n“After he lost the election in 2002, it put him in a real big depression,” she said. “So he went about literally trying to organize a constituency that he could represent, that would be loyal to him.” She drew a parallel with Trump’s construction of the “Make America great again” movement.\n\nBut she also sees sobering – and disturbing – differences, leading her to conclude that Trump poses a greater danger.\n\nWhere Orbán moved slowly, accumulating autocratic power gradually over several years, Trump is now subjecting the US to “a complete onslaught”.\n\n[Donald Trump says he is not a dictator. Isn’t he? Read more](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/ng-interactive\/2025\/sep\/01\/trump-dictator-authoritarianism-politics)\n\n“He’s trying to paint a picture for us now that this is coming for you, if you don’t watch out. And he starts with the most vulnerable, the immigrants. Orbán never had to use any of that.”\n\nStill, Field’s message is one of hope. The US has two advantages in countering his autocratic ambitions that Hungary lacked: the devolving of political power to the states (in contrast to Hungary’s easily mastered unitary model) and the Democrats’ status as a well-funded opposition party.\n\nIn the face of years of spirited Hungarian resistance, exemplified by the three heroines of Field’s film, Orbán remains in office, although polls show his governing Fidesz party on course to lose next year’s scheduled election to the opposition Tisza party, led by Péter Magyar. That would signal the first change in power in 16 years.\n\n“The story I tell is of people trying to resist this, no matter what,” said Field.\n\n“The most important thing for me now is that audiences understand we must fight back and that democracy is crucially important to everything. I was very impressed by these Hungarian women who’ve been carrying on this fight for 12 years and never giving up. I find that very invigorating and hopeful – and I hope my American audience finds it the same way.”\n\nExplore more on these topics\n\n- [Viktor Orbán](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/viktor-orban)\n- [Hungary](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/hungary)\n- [Europe](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/europe-news)\n- [Documentary films](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/film\/documentary)\n- [Donald Trump](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/donaldtrump)\n- [Vladimir Putin](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/vladimir-putin)\n- [Trump administration](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/trump-administration)\n- [features](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/tone\/features)\n\nShare\n\n[Reuse this content](https:\/\/syndication.theguardian.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2025%2Fsep%2F06%2Fdemocracy-noir-viktor-orban-hungary-trump&type=article&internalpagecode=world\/2025\/sep\/06\/democracy-noir-viktor-orban-hungary-trump \"Reuse this content\")\n\n### Most viewed\n- [![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/8c396ee8814a91913eb9f979c9f108e2a5fc5aa0\/0_58_1440_1152\/master\/1440.jpg?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) Arkansas police arrest Kendra Duggar on child abuse charges](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/mar\/22\/arkansas-kendra-dugger-child-abuse-charges)\n- [![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/f75d3557be841045422b143e3a6006441c0ab7a9\/129_0_1320_1056\/master\/1320.jpg?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) US warns Americans worldwide to show ‘increased caution’ – as it happened](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/mar\/22\/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-war-trump-ultimatum-major-attack-strait-of-hormuz-open-israel-hit-tehran-retaliation)\n- [![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/68fcdb474d636d71767c8d4895e6cc7eed50dde4\/0_1063_3937_3150\/master\/3937.jpg?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) I have stage four cancer – there will be no cure, but death isn’t necessarily imminent: this is how it feels to live in the long middle](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/society\/2026\/mar\/22\/i-have-stage-four-cancer-there-will-be-no-cure-but-death-isnt-necessarily-imminent-this-is-how-it-feels-to-live-in-the-long-middle)\n- [![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/bef31857a5ca2a43d9d84c53e09fde240f851f9e\/0_19_2400_1920\/master\/2400.jpg?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) Barry Keoghan says online abuse means he ‘doesn’t want to go outside’ any more](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/film\/2026\/mar\/23\/barry-keoghan-says-online-abuse-means-he-doesnt-want-to-go-outside-any-more)\n- [![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/02a0d50f3e8184cbcb463ac990bb650ebf561bb0\/230_0_2300_1840\/master\/2300.jpg?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) ‘Nobody else is responsible’: Trump to blame for Iran crisis, ex-CIA chief says](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/mar\/22\/trump-iran-leon-panetta)\n\n## Related stories\n## Related stories\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/68a011b44fad16a5f641a3a4927bfbfb37fd40b1\/240_222_1080_864\/master\/1080.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### US grants Hungary one-year exception from sanctions over Russian oil and gas\n  8 Nov 2025\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/9bf9d50c019743898606c8e13180d062a93ffb77\/252_2_4001_3202\/master\/4001.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### Hungary opposition figures urge Democrats to organize against autocratic takeover by Trump\n  16 Jul 2025\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/1436a186bf8eb619f926504bbab74980038d8bd8\/0_303_3500_2101\/master\/3500.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### Orbán says Hungary is ‘exempt’ from the conflict: tell that to his friend in Moscow\n  29 Oct 2022\n  \n  [383 383 comments](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/commentisfree\/2022\/oct\/29\/viktor-orban-hungary-conflict-moscow-war-in-ukraine#comments)\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/98cdeb91ebfd53d5e472b510d88378a4a10b3b35\/787_200_3131_1878\/master\/3131.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### Victory of Putin ally Orbán in Hungary may trigger freeze on EU funding\n  4 Apr 2022\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/e4ccfc02b05ee44e8548612ca8b7923977c89356\/0_14_3587_2152\/master\/3587.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### Hungary for Brexit: Orbán praises Johnson and Trump\n  9 Jan 2020\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/f965424b2a71d59f4c5a9c31e92ab17ee315d2c1\/0_227_5168_3100\/master\/5168.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### Trump praises Hungary's far-right leader Orbán: 'He’s a respected man' – as it happened\n  14 May 2019\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/f50cd305d0177070215d2c802bcb9daa2479c2e4\/0_300_4500_2700\/master\/4500.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### Trump lauds Hungary's nationalist PM Orbán for 'tremendous job'\n  13 May 2019\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/ffe4b899288d59fed024d650ab6f45261ae4d8d1\/0_152_3500_2100\/master\/3500.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### Hungary’s PM Viktor Orbán to meet Donald Trump at White House\n  2 May 2019\n\n## More from News\n## More from News\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/9e7642ab74a291def33ecc37ae546fd604dc70f7\/359_0_4670_3736\/master\/4670.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### FranceSocialist Emmanuel Grégoire elected Paris mayor, as National Rally fails to take key cities\n  11m ago\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/bef31857a5ca2a43d9d84c53e09fde240f851f9e\/0_19_2400_1920\/master\/2400.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### Barry KeoghanActor says online abuse means he ‘doesn’t want to go outside’ any more\n  3h ago\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/061e84230d611dc2ea1ad5579067c83524045855\/2266_513_4462_3570\/master\/4462.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### HungaryTrump lauds Viktor Orbán as Europe’s far-right leaders gather in Budapest\n  12h ago\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/dc897a565736fc26e81827f55ba1389c408b857f\/1318_31_4682_3744\/master\/4682.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### Brussels attacks‘It is a shock’: survivors of Brussels bombings face pension cuts 10 years on\n  23h ago\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/5c4df82342c542a5ddca01ad24ff94100ebe6786\/595_0_3750_3000\/master\/3750.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### SloveniaSlovenia goes to polls in election marked by claims of anti-Romany rhetoric\n  6h ago\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/b69d5152c85e2d864da714468ecc1e3339b47cb5\/500_0_5000_4000\/master\/5000.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### FootballManchester City win Carabao Cup after Nico O’Reilly’s double downs lacklustre Arsenal\n  9h ago\n  \n  [410 410 comments](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/football\/2026\/mar\/22\/arsenal-manchester-city-carabao-cup-final-match-report#comments)\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/3e8e37e38f0993aa27bc5298918b30890383f78d\/852_0_6724_5382\/master\/6724.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### West BankIsraeli settlers carry out series of West Bank attacks as security forces stand by\n  13h ago\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/70b1a016fefad6a27e3a440c454c91be33ee5cb0\/288_0_2249_1799\/master\/2249.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### UKUndercover police officer exposed by his own blunder, spycops inquiry hears\n  15h ago\n- ![](https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/f102c2665f0b033de921b95104d4fbd9d20ebbb9\/0_0_5000_4000\/master\/5000.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4)\n  \n  ### Chappell RoanChappell Roan responds to criticism from footballer Jorginho after incident with security\n  11h ago\n\n## Most viewed\n## Most viewed\n- [Most viewed Across the Guardian](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2025\/sep\/06\/tabs-popular-0)\n- [Most viewed in World news](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2025\/sep\/06\/tabs-popular-1)\n\n### Most viewed Across the\\&nbsp;Guardian\n1. [US warns Americans worldwide to show ‘increased caution’ – as it happened](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/mar\/22\/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-war-trump-ultimatum-major-attack-strait-of-hormuz-open-israel-hit-tehran-retaliation)\n2. [Barry Keoghan says online abuse means he ‘doesn’t want to go outside’ any more](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/film\/2026\/mar\/23\/barry-keoghan-says-online-abuse-means-he-doesnt-want-to-go-outside-any-more)\n3. [‘Nobody else is responsible’: Trump to blame for Iran crisis, ex-CIA chief says](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/mar\/22\/trump-iran-leon-panetta)\n4. [Socialist Emmanuel Grégoire elected mayor of Paris](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/mar\/22\/paris-mayoral-race-socialist-emmanuel-gregoire-projected-to-win)\n5. [‘Extremely ugly’: Maga media figures squabble among themselves over Trump’s Iran war](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/mar\/22\/maga-media-fight-trump-iran-war)\n6. [Trump lauds Viktor Orbán as Europe’s far-right leaders gather in Budapest](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/mar\/22\/trump-lauds-viktor-orban-far-right-leaders-gather-budapest)\n7. [Iran vows to destroy Middle East water and energy facilities if US attacks power plants](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/mar\/22\/iran-says-destroy-middle-east-infrastructure-us-energy-sites)\n8. [I have stage four cancer – there will be no cure, but death isn’t necessarily imminent: this is how it feels to live in the long middle](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/society\/2026\/mar\/22\/i-have-stage-four-cancer-there-will-be-no-cure-but-death-isnt-necessarily-imminent-this-is-how-it-feels-to-live-in-the-long-middle)\n9. [‘You lose yourself’: inside the mental health crisis hitting gen X women](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/society\/2026\/mar\/22\/hidden-mental-health-crisis-gen-x-women)\n10. [Chappell Roan responds to criticism from footballer Jorginho after incident with security](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/football\/2026\/mar\/22\/chappell-roan-responds-to-criticism-from-footballer-jorginho-after-incident-with-security)\n\n### Most viewed in World news\n1. [US warns Americans worldwide to show ‘increased caution’ – as it happened](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/mar\/22\/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-war-trump-ultimatum-major-attack-strait-of-hormuz-open-israel-hit-tehran-retaliation)\n2. [Iran vows to destroy Middle East water and energy facilities if US attacks power plants](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/mar\/22\/iran-says-destroy-middle-east-infrastructure-us-energy-sites)\n3. [Ukraine war briefing: Russia trying to ‘intensify’ attacks; US-Ukraine talks end](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/mar\/23\/ukraine-war-briefing-russia-trying-to-intensify-attacks-us-ukraine-talks-end)\n4. [Socialist Emmanuel Grégoire elected mayor of Paris](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/mar\/22\/paris-mayoral-race-socialist-emmanuel-gregoire-projected-to-win)\n5. [Netanyahu hopes destroying Iranian ‘axis of evil’ will rehabilitate his image](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/mar\/22\/netanyahu-hopes-destroying-iranian-axis-of-evil-will-rehabilitate-his-image)\n6. [Trump lauds Viktor Orbán as Europe’s far-right leaders gather in Budapest](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/mar\/22\/trump-lauds-viktor-orban-far-right-leaders-gather-budapest)\n7. [LiveMiddle East crisis live: IEA chief says Iran war energy crunch worse than 1970s oil crises and Ukraine war combined](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/mar\/23\/middle-east-crisis-live-iea-chief-says-iran-war-energy-crunch-worse-than-1970s-oil-crises-and-ukraine-war-combined)\n8. [Projectile strikes vessel off coast of UAE - as it happened](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/mar\/21\/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-war-trump-eases-oil-sanctions-israel-strikes)\n9. [Trump tells Iran it has 48 hours to open Hormuz or US will ‘obliterate’ its power plants](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/mar\/22\/iran-donald-trump-48-hours-open-hormuz-strait)\n10. [‘It is a shock’: survivors of Brussels bombings face pension cuts 10 years on](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/mar\/22\/brussels-bombings-attacks-2016-anniversary-survivors-pensions-compensation)\n\n- [World](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world)\n- [Europe](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/europe-news)\n- [US news](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news)\n- [Americas](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/americas)\n- [Asia](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/asia)\n- [Australia](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/australia-news)\n- [Middle East](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/middleeast)\n- [Africa](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/africa)\n- [Inequality](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/inequality)\n- [Global development](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/global-development)\n\n- [News](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/)\n- [Opinion](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/commentisfree)\n- [Sport](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport)\n- [Culture](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/culture)\n- [Lifestyle](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle)\n\nOriginal reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning\n\n[Sign up for our email](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/global\/2022\/sep\/20\/sign-up-for-the-first-edition-newsletter-our-free-news-email)\n\n- [About us](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/about)\n- [Help](https:\/\/manage.theguardian.com\/help-centre)\n- [Complaints & corrections](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/info\/complaints-and-corrections)\n- [Contact us](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/help\/contact-us)\n- [Tip us off](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/tips)\n- [SecureDrop](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/securedrop)\n- [Privacy policy](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/info\/privacy)\n- [Cookie policy](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/info\/cookies)\n- [Tax strategy](https:\/\/uploads.guim.co.uk\/2025\/09\/05\/Tax_strategy_for_the_year_ended_31_March_2025.pdf)\n- [Terms & conditions](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/help\/terms-of-service)\n\n- [All topics](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/index\/subjects\/a)\n- [All writers](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/index\/contributors)\n- [Newsletters](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/email-newsletters?INTCMP=DOTCOM_FOOTER_NEWSLETTER_EUROPE)\n- [Digital newspaper archive](https:\/\/theguardian.newspapers.com\/)\n- [Bluesky](https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/theguardian.com)\n- [Facebook](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/theguardian)\n- [Instagram](https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/guardian)\n- [LinkedIn](https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/theguardian)\n- [Threads](https:\/\/www.threads.com\/@guardian)\n- [TikTok](https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@guardian)\n- [YouTube](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/TheGuardian)\n\n- [Advertise with us](https:\/\/advertising.theguardian.com\/)\n- [Search UK jobs](https:\/\/jobs.theguardian.com\/)\n- [Tips](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/tips)\n- [Accessibility settings](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/help\/accessibility-help)\n- [Work with us](https:\/\/workwithus.theguardian.com\/)\n\nSupport the Guardian\n\nAvailable for everyone, funded by readers\n\n[Support us](https:\/\/support.theguardian.com\/?INTCMP=footer_support&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22:%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22,%22componentType%22:%22ACQUISITIONS_FOOTER%22,%22componentId%22:%22footer_support%22%7D)\n\n[Back to top](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2025\/sep\/06\/democracy-noir-viktor-orban-hungary-trump#top)\n\n© 2026 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved.\n\n(dcr)","attrs_readable_markdown":"Just over 40 seconds into Democracy Noir, Connie Field’s [documentary](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/film\/documentary) about contemporary [Hungary](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/hungary), the moral of the tale becomes clear.\n\nOn the heels of striking opening shots of the Danube and Budapest, [Viktor Orbán](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/viktor-orban), the Hungarian prime minister and the film’s central subject, is seen introducing himself, in English, to a group of political activists, followed by footage of him chatting amiably with [Vladimir Putin](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/vladimir-putin) – and then another scene of him shaking hands with a broadly smiling [Donald Trump](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/donaldtrump).\n\nPerceptive viewers are unlikely to miss the subliminal message; this is not just about the politics of a smallish east-central European country.\n\nOn the contrary, the 90-minute documentary – opening in the US this week and portraying Orbán’s creeping authoritarian takeover of an erstwhile liberal democracy through the eyes of three women; Timea Szabó, an opposition politician, Babette Oroszi, a television journalist, and Niko Antal, a nurse – has universal resonance and urgent relevance for American audiences grappling with the consequences of Trump.\n\n“I’d say this is the most ‘hitting the zeitgeist’ film I’ve made,” said Field, an award-winning director whose [previous work](https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/name\/nm0275908\/) includes documentaries about the fall of apartheid in South Africa, the US civil rights movement and the My Lai massacre during the Vietnam war.\n\n“One of our absolute, biggest dangers we’re facing in the world today is the demise of democracy. People think that word is abstract. It’s not. It’s really the best system we have to work towards real equality in our societies.”\n\nFields, whose husband, Pierre Divenyi, is Hungarian, started filming and chronicling events in the country after witnessing a demonstration in Budapest’s Liberty Square in 2014. Demonstrators were protesting against a memorial commissioned by Orbán’s government they said falsely portrayed the second world war-era Hungarian government as a victim, rather than recognize that it was allied with Nazi Germany.\n\nHer initial aim was to depict the decline and possible demise of democracy in [Hungary](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/hungary) – a Nato and European Union member – as Orbán relentlessly pursued his goal of fashioning an illiberal state by changing the constitution to skew election outcomes and retain power, while emptying institutions like the courts, universities and public broadcasters of dissenting elements.\n\nBut the advent of Trump – and the forging of ties between the two men – has made the topic startlingly relevant in her native US.\n\nSome of Trump’s leading followers have cited Hungary [as the model](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2025\/feb\/07\/trump-viktor-orban-electoral-autocracy) that the US should emulate. Orbán [visited Trump](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/article\/2024\/jul\/11\/nato-viktor-orban-peace-mission-trump) at Mar-a-Lago three times in 2024, including in the weeks after his election victory over Kamala Harris. In turn, CPAC, the Trump-supporting rightwing political action committee, has [staged several conferences](https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2023\/may\/05\/cpac-hungary-kari-lake-rightwing-press-freedom) in Budapest.\n\nBut the sensitivities over Orbán’s links with Trump have become clear in Washington DC, where the documentary’s distributor, Clarity Films, has yet to find a local cinema prepared to screen it – in at least one case, allegedly because of fears that it may upset people linked to the White House.\n\n“One theater owner said they didn’t want to alienate their audience, or some of their audience, or people working for Trump,” said Field. “They told my distributor they were afraid of alienating half their constituency.”\n\nSeparately, a cinema in Boise, Idaho – a solidly Republican state – withdrew from an agreement to show the film, claiming that there was no local market.\n\nField is convinced that the events of recent months, when the Trump’s administration has targeted immigrants, transgender rights and vast segments of the federal government, will enable those Americans who do see the film to clearly see the parallels.\n\n“I’ve had certain small audiences,” Field said, including a benefit event for Indivisible, a progressive movement that has been involved in protests against Trump since his return to the White House.\n\n“They went: ‘Oh my God, this is what’s happening.’ It gave them a way to understand it totally by seeing all the similarities in the strategies. It became apparent to people in a much clearer way, that’s what they were facing.”\n\nField sees one overarching common thread between Trump and Orbán, a former liberal and George Soros-financed scholar at Oxford University who underwent a sharp political conversion after leading a center-right government to defeat in 2002.\n\n“After he lost the election in 2002, it put him in a real big depression,” she said. “So he went about literally trying to organize a constituency that he could represent, that would be loyal to him.” She drew a parallel with Trump’s construction of the “Make America great again” movement.\n\nBut she also sees sobering – and disturbing – differences, leading her to conclude that Trump poses a greater danger.\n\nWhere Orbán moved slowly, accumulating autocratic power gradually over several years, Trump is now subjecting the US to “a complete onslaught”.\n\n“He’s trying to paint a picture for us now that this is coming for you, if you don’t watch out. And he starts with the most vulnerable, the immigrants. Orbán never had to use any of that.”\n\nStill, Field’s message is one of hope. The US has two advantages in countering his autocratic ambitions that Hungary lacked: the devolving of political power to the states (in contrast to Hungary’s easily mastered unitary model) and the Democrats’ status as a well-funded opposition party.\n\nIn the face of years of spirited Hungarian resistance, exemplified by the three heroines of Field’s film, Orbán remains in office, although polls show his governing Fidesz party on course to lose next year’s scheduled election to the opposition Tisza party, led by Péter Magyar. That would signal the first change in power in 16 years.\n\n“The story I tell is of people trying to resist this, no matter what,” said Field.\n\n“The most important thing for me now is that audiences understand we must fight back and that democracy is crucially important to everything. I was very impressed by these Hungarian women who’ve been carrying on this fight for 12 years and never giving up. I find that very invigorating and hopeful – and I hope my American audience finds it the same way.”","meta_canonical":null}

3. Robots.txt Check

Query:

Response:

4. Spam/Ban Check

Query:

Response:

5. Seen Status Check

ℹ️ Skipped - page is already crawled

📄

INDEXABLE

✅

CRAWLED

23 days ago

🚫

ROBOTS BLOCKED

Page Info Filters

Filter	Status	Condition	Details
HTTP status	PASS	`download_http_code = 200`	HTTP 200
Age cutoff	PASS	`download_stamp > now() - 6 MONTH`	0.8 months ago
History drop	PASS	`isNull(history_drop_reason)`	No drop reason
Spam/ban	PASS	`fh_dont_index != 1 AND ml_spam_score = 0`	ml_spam_score=0
Canonical	PASS	`meta_canonical IS NULL OR = '' OR = src_unparsed`	Not set

Page Details

Property	Value
URL	https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/06/democracy-noir-viktor-orban-hungary-trump
Last Crawled	2026-03-23 04:09:00 (23 days ago)
First Indexed	2025-09-06 13:03:17 (7 months ago)
HTTP Status Code	200
Meta Title	Hungary documentary reveals sobering similarities between Orbán and Trump \| Viktor Orbán \| The Guardian
Meta Description	Democracy Noir, portraying Orbán’s creeping authoritarian takeover, has urgent relevance for US audiences
Meta Canonical	null
Boilerpipe Text	Just over 40 seconds into Democracy Noir, Connie Field’s documentary about contemporary Hungary , the moral of the tale becomes clear. On the heels of striking opening shots of the Danube and Budapest, Viktor Orbán , the Hungarian prime minister and the film’s central subject, is seen introducing himself, in English, to a group of political activists, followed by footage of him chatting amiably with Vladimir Putin – and then another scene of him shaking hands with a broadly smiling Donald Trump . Perceptive viewers are unlikely to miss the subliminal message; this is not just about the politics of a smallish east-central European country. On the contrary, the 90-minute documentary – opening in the US this week and portraying Orbán’s creeping authoritarian takeover of an erstwhile liberal democracy through the eyes of three women; Timea Szabó, an opposition politician, Babette Oroszi, a television journalist, and Niko Antal, a nurse – has universal resonance and urgent relevance for American audiences grappling with the consequences of Trump. “I’d say this is the most ‘hitting the zeitgeist’ film I’ve made,” said Field, an award-winning director whose previous work includes documentaries about the fall of apartheid in South Africa, the US civil rights movement and the My Lai massacre during the Vietnam war. “One of our absolute, biggest dangers we’re facing in the world today is the demise of democracy. People think that word is abstract. It’s not. It’s really the best system we have to work towards real equality in our societies.” Fields, whose husband, Pierre Divenyi, is Hungarian, started filming and chronicling events in the country after witnessing a demonstration in Budapest’s Liberty Square in 2014. Demonstrators were protesting against a memorial commissioned by Orbán’s government they said falsely portrayed the second world war-era Hungarian government as a victim, rather than recognize that it was allied with Nazi Germany. Her initial aim was to depict the decline and possible demise of democracy in Hungary – a Nato and European Union member – as Orbán relentlessly pursued his goal of fashioning an illiberal state by changing the constitution to skew election outcomes and retain power, while emptying institutions like the courts, universities and public broadcasters of dissenting elements. But the advent of Trump – and the forging of ties between the two men – has made the topic startlingly relevant in her native US. Some of Trump’s leading followers have cited Hungary as the model that the US should emulate. Orbán visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago three times in 2024, including in the weeks after his election victory over Kamala Harris. In turn, CPAC, the Trump-supporting rightwing political action committee, has staged several conferences in Budapest. But the sensitivities over Orbán’s links with Trump have become clear in Washington DC, where the documentary’s distributor, Clarity Films, has yet to find a local cinema prepared to screen it – in at least one case, allegedly because of fears that it may upset people linked to the White House. “One theater owner said they didn’t want to alienate their audience, or some of their audience, or people working for Trump,” said Field. “They told my distributor they were afraid of alienating half their constituency.” Separately, a cinema in Boise, Idaho – a solidly Republican state – withdrew from an agreement to show the film, claiming that there was no local market. Field is convinced that the events of recent months, when the Trump’s administration has targeted immigrants, transgender rights and vast segments of the federal government, will enable those Americans who do see the film to clearly see the parallels. “I’ve had certain small audiences,” Field said, including a benefit event for Indivisible, a progressive movement that has been involved in protests against Trump since his return to the White House. “They went: ‘Oh my God, this is what’s happening.’ It gave them a way to understand it totally by seeing all the similarities in the strategies. It became apparent to people in a much clearer way, that’s what they were facing.” Field sees one overarching common thread between Trump and Orbán, a former liberal and George Soros-financed scholar at Oxford University who underwent a sharp political conversion after leading a center-right government to defeat in 2002. “After he lost the election in 2002, it put him in a real big depression,” she said. “So he went about literally trying to organize a constituency that he could represent, that would be loyal to him.” She drew a parallel with Trump’s construction of the “Make America great again” movement. But she also sees sobering – and disturbing – differences, leading her to conclude that Trump poses a greater danger. Where Orbán moved slowly, accumulating autocratic power gradually over several years, Trump is now subjecting the US to “a complete onslaught”. “He’s trying to paint a picture for us now that this is coming for you, if you don’t watch out. And he starts with the most vulnerable, the immigrants. Orbán never had to use any of that.” Still, Field’s message is one of hope. The US has two advantages in countering his autocratic ambitions that Hungary lacked: the devolving of political power to the states (in contrast to Hungary’s easily mastered unitary model) and the Democrats’ status as a well-funded opposition party. In the face of years of spirited Hungarian resistance, exemplified by the three heroines of Field’s film, Orbán remains in office, although polls show his governing Fidesz party on course to lose next year’s scheduled election to the opposition Tisza party, led by Péter Magyar. That would signal the first change in power in 16 years. “The story I tell is of people trying to resist this, no matter what,” said Field. “The most important thing for me now is that audiences understand we must fight back and that democracy is crucially important to everything. I was very impressed by these Hungarian women who’ve been carrying on this fight for 12 years and never giving up. I find that very invigorating and hopeful – and I hope my American audience finds it the same way.”
Markdown	![](https://sb.scorecardresearch.com/p?c1=2&c2=6035250&cv=2.0&cj=1&cs_ucfr=0&comscorekw=world) [Skip to main content](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/06/democracy-noir-viktor-orban-hungary-trump#maincontent)[Skip to navigation](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/06/democracy-noir-viktor-orban-hungary-trump#navigation) Close dialogue 1/1 Next image Previous image Toggle caption [Skip to navigation](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/06/democracy-noir-viktor-orban-hungary-trump#navigation) [Print subscriptions](https://support.theguardian.com/subscribe/weekly?REFPVID=mn2o20zf3t9w6q76nw20&INTCMP=undefined&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22%3A%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22%2C%22componentId%22%3A%22PrintSubscriptionsHeaderLink%22%2C%22componentType%22%3A%22ACQUISITIONS_HEADER%22%2C%22referrerPageviewId%22%3A%22mn2o20zf3t9w6q76nw20%22%2C%22referrerUrl%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2025%2Fsep%2F06%2Fdemocracy-noir-viktor-orban-hungary-trump%22%7D) [Search jobs](https://jobs.theguardian.com/) [Sign in](https://profile.theguardian.com/signin?INTCMP=DOTCOM_NEWHEADER_SIGNIN&ABCMP=ab-sign-in&componentEventParams=componentType%3Didentityauthentication%26componentId%3Dguardian_signin_header) Eur - [Europe edition](https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/eur) - [UK edition](https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/uk) - [US edition](https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/us) - [Australia edition](https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/au) - [International edition](https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/int) [The Guardian - Back to homeThe Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/) - [News](https://www.theguardian.com/) - [Opinion](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree) - [Sport](https://www.theguardian.com/sport) - [Culture](https://www.theguardian.com/culture) - [Lifestyle](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle) Show more Hide expanded menu - News - [View all News](https://www.theguardian.com/) - [World news](https://www.theguardian.com/world) - [UK news](https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news) - [Climate crisis](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-crisis) - [Ukraine](https://www.theguardian.com/world/ukraine) - [Environment](https://www.theguardian.com/environment) - [Science](https://www.theguardian.com/science) - [Global development](https://www.theguardian.com/global-development) - [Football](https://www.theguardian.com/football) - [Tech](https://www.theguardian.com/technology) - [Business](https://www.theguardian.com/business) - [Obituaries](https://www.theguardian.com/obituaries) - Opinion - [View all Opinion](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree) - [The Guardian view](https://www.theguardian.com/profile/editorial) - [Columnists](https://www.theguardian.com/index/contributors) - [Cartoons](https://www.theguardian.com/tone/cartoons) - [Opinion videos](https://www.theguardian.com/type/video+tone/comment) - [Letters](https://www.theguardian.com/tone/letters) - Sport - [View all Sport](https://www.theguardian.com/sport) - [Football](https://www.theguardian.com/football) - [Cricket](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/cricket) - [Rugby union](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/rugby-union) - [Tennis](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/tennis) - [Cycling](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/cycling) - [F1](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/formulaone) - [Golf](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/golf) - [US sports](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/us-sport) - Culture - [View all Culture](https://www.theguardian.com/culture) - [Books](https://www.theguardian.com/books) - [Music](https://www.theguardian.com/music) - [TV & radio](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio) - [Art & design](https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign) - [Film](https://www.theguardian.com/film) - [Games](https://www.theguardian.com/games) - [Classical](https://www.theguardian.com/music/classicalmusicandopera) - [Stage](https://www.theguardian.com/stage) - Lifestyle - [View all Lifestyle](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle) - [Fashion](https://www.theguardian.com/fashion) - [Food](https://www.theguardian.com/food) - [Recipes](https://www.theguardian.com/tone/recipes) - [Love & sex](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/love-and-sex) - [Health & fitness](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/health-and-wellbeing) - [Home & garden](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/home-and-garden) - [Women](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/women) - [Men](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/men) - [Family](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/family) - [Travel](https://www.theguardian.com/travel) - [Money](https://www.theguardian.com/money) - [Support us](https://support.theguardian.com/?INTCMP=side_menu_support&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22:%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22,%22componentType%22:%22ACQUISITIONS_HEADER%22,%22componentId%22:%22side_menu_support%22%7D) - [Print subscriptions](https://support.theguardian.com/subscribe/weekly?REFPVID=mn2o20zf3t9w6q76nw20&INTCMP=undefined&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22%3A%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22%2C%22componentId%22%3A%22PrintSubscriptionsHeaderLink%22%2C%22componentType%22%3A%22ACQUISITIONS_HEADER%22%2C%22referrerPageviewId%22%3A%22mn2o20zf3t9w6q76nw20%22%2C%22referrerUrl%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2025%2Fsep%2F06%2Fdemocracy-noir-viktor-orban-hungary-trump%22%7D) - - [Search jobs](https://jobs.theguardian.com/) - [Holidays](https://holidays.theguardian.com/?INTCMP=holidays_int_web_newheader) - [Digital Archive](https://theguardian.newspapers.com/) - [Guardian Licensing](https://licensing.theguardian.com/) - [Live events](https://www.theguardian.com/guardian-live-events?INTCMP=live_eur_header_dropdown) - [About Us](https://www.theguardian.com/about) - [The Guardian app](https://app.adjust.com/16xt6hai) - [Video](https://www.theguardian.com/video) - [Podcasts](https://www.theguardian.com/podcasts) - [Pictures](https://www.theguardian.com/inpictures) - [Newsletters](https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters) - [Today's paper](https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian) - [Inside the Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/insidetheguardian) - [Guardian Weekly](https://www.theguardian.com/weekly?INTCMP=gdnwb_mawns_editorial_gweekly_GW_TopNav_Int) - [Crosswords](https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords) - [Wordiply](https://www.wordiply.com/) - [Corrections](https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/series/corrections-and-clarifications) - [Tips](https://www.theguardian.com/tips) - - [Search jobs](https://jobs.theguardian.com/) - [Holidays](https://holidays.theguardian.com/?INTCMP=holidays_int_web_newheader) - [Digital Archive](https://theguardian.newspapers.com/) - [Guardian Licensing](https://licensing.theguardian.com/) - [Live events](https://www.theguardian.com/guardian-live-events?INTCMP=live_eur_header_dropdown) - [About Us](https://www.theguardian.com/about) - [World](https://www.theguardian.com/world) - [Europe](https://www.theguardian.com/world/europe-news) - [US news](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news) - [Americas](https://www.theguardian.com/world/americas) - [Asia](https://www.theguardian.com/world/asia) - [Australia](https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news) - [Middle East](https://www.theguardian.com/world/middleeast) - [Africa](https://www.theguardian.com/world/africa) - [Inequality](https://www.theguardian.com/inequality) - [Global development](https://www.theguardian.com/global-development) ![a man in a suit](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/efd7f030ac029f3fed6539eec068cf088e88506f/0_0_7263_4844/master/7263.jpg?width=465&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) The Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán, in The Hague, Netherlands, on 24 June. Photograph: Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images [View image in fullscreen](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/06/democracy-noir-viktor-orban-hungary-trump#img-1) The Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán, in The Hague, Netherlands, on 24 June. Photograph: Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images [Viktor Orbán](https://www.theguardian.com/world/viktor-orban) This article is more than 6 months old # Hungary documentary reveals sobering similarities between Orbán and Trump This article is more than 6 months old Democracy Noir, portraying Orbán’s creeping authoritarian takeover, has urgent relevance for US audiences [Robert Tait](https://www.theguardian.com/profile/roberttait) Sat 6 Sep 2025 15.00 CEST Last modified on Sat 6 Sep 2025 15.04 CEST Share [Prefer the Guardian on Google](https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=theguardian.com) Just over 40 seconds into Democracy Noir, Connie Field’s [documentary](https://www.theguardian.com/film/documentary) about contemporary [Hungary](https://www.theguardian.com/world/hungary), the moral of the tale becomes clear. On the heels of striking opening shots of the Danube and Budapest, [Viktor Orbán](https://www.theguardian.com/world/viktor-orban), the Hungarian prime minister and the film’s central subject, is seen introducing himself, in English, to a group of political activists, followed by footage of him chatting amiably with [Vladimir Putin](https://www.theguardian.com/world/vladimir-putin) – and then another scene of him shaking hands with a broadly smiling [Donald Trump](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/donaldtrump). Perceptive viewers are unlikely to miss the subliminal message; this is not just about the politics of a smallish east-central European country. On the contrary, the 90-minute documentary – opening in the US this week and portraying Orbán’s creeping authoritarian takeover of an erstwhile liberal democracy through the eyes of three women; Timea Szabó, an opposition politician, Babette Oroszi, a television journalist, and Niko Antal, a nurse – has universal resonance and urgent relevance for American audiences grappling with the consequences of Trump. “I’d say this is the most ‘hitting the zeitgeist’ film I’ve made,” said Field, an award-winning director whose [previous work](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0275908/) includes documentaries about the fall of apartheid in South Africa, the US civil rights movement and the My Lai massacre during the Vietnam war. [![Viktor Orban and Donald Trump](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/de3fca3e0878ab82d0e49ec5cd9732f255ee940d/1_0_4998_4000/master/4998.jpg?width=460&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=361457333eb6be38d1a9926fb88393b0)He is the strongman who inspired Trump – but is Viktor Orbán losing his grip on power? Read more](https://www.theguardian.com/news/ng-interactive/2025/jun/01/he-is-the-strongman-who-inspired-trump-but-is-viktor-orban-losing-his-grip-on-power) “One of our absolute, biggest dangers we’re facing in the world today is the demise of democracy. People think that word is abstract. It’s not. It’s really the best system we have to work towards real equality in our societies.” Fields, whose husband, Pierre Divenyi, is Hungarian, started filming and chronicling events in the country after witnessing a demonstration in Budapest’s Liberty Square in 2014. Demonstrators were protesting against a memorial commissioned by Orbán’s government they said falsely portrayed the second world war-era Hungarian government as a victim, rather than recognize that it was allied with Nazi Germany. Her initial aim was to depict the decline and possible demise of democracy in [Hungary](https://www.theguardian.com/world/hungary) – a Nato and European Union member – as Orbán relentlessly pursued his goal of fashioning an illiberal state by changing the constitution to skew election outcomes and retain power, while emptying institutions like the courts, universities and public broadcasters of dissenting elements. But the advent of Trump – and the forging of ties between the two men – has made the topic startlingly relevant in her native US. Some of Trump’s leading followers have cited Hungary [as the model](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/07/trump-viktor-orban-electoral-autocracy) that the US should emulate. Orbán [visited Trump](https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jul/11/nato-viktor-orban-peace-mission-trump) at Mar-a-Lago three times in 2024, including in the weeks after his election victory over Kamala Harris. In turn, CPAC, the Trump-supporting rightwing political action committee, has [staged several conferences](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/05/cpac-hungary-kari-lake-rightwing-press-freedom) in Budapest. But the sensitivities over Orbán’s links with Trump have become clear in Washington DC, where the documentary’s distributor, Clarity Films, has yet to find a local cinema prepared to screen it – in at least one case, allegedly because of fears that it may upset people linked to the White House. “One theater owner said they didn’t want to alienate their audience, or some of their audience, or people working for Trump,” said Field. “They told my distributor they were afraid of alienating half their constituency.” > One of our absolute, biggest dangers we’re facing in the world today is the demise of democracy. People think that word is abstract. It’s not Connie Field, Democracy Noir director Separately, a cinema in Boise, Idaho – a solidly Republican state – withdrew from an agreement to show the film, claiming that there was no local market. Field is convinced that the events of recent months, when the Trump’s administration has targeted immigrants, transgender rights and vast segments of the federal government, will enable those Americans who do see the film to clearly see the parallels. “I’ve had certain small audiences,” Field said, including a benefit event for Indivisible, a progressive movement that has been involved in protests against Trump since his return to the White House. “They went: ‘Oh my God, this is what’s happening.’ It gave them a way to understand it totally by seeing all the similarities in the strategies. It became apparent to people in a much clearer way, that’s what they were facing.” Field sees one overarching common thread between Trump and Orbán, a former liberal and George Soros-financed scholar at Oxford University who underwent a sharp political conversion after leading a center-right government to defeat in 2002. “After he lost the election in 2002, it put him in a real big depression,” she said. “So he went about literally trying to organize a constituency that he could represent, that would be loyal to him.” She drew a parallel with Trump’s construction of the “Make America great again” movement. But she also sees sobering – and disturbing – differences, leading her to conclude that Trump poses a greater danger. Where Orbán moved slowly, accumulating autocratic power gradually over several years, Trump is now subjecting the US to “a complete onslaught”. [Donald Trump says he is not a dictator. Isn’t he? Read more](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2025/sep/01/trump-dictator-authoritarianism-politics) “He’s trying to paint a picture for us now that this is coming for you, if you don’t watch out. And he starts with the most vulnerable, the immigrants. Orbán never had to use any of that.” Still, Field’s message is one of hope. The US has two advantages in countering his autocratic ambitions that Hungary lacked: the devolving of political power to the states (in contrast to Hungary’s easily mastered unitary model) and the Democrats’ status as a well-funded opposition party. In the face of years of spirited Hungarian resistance, exemplified by the three heroines of Field’s film, Orbán remains in office, although polls show his governing Fidesz party on course to lose next year’s scheduled election to the opposition Tisza party, led by Péter Magyar. That would signal the first change in power in 16 years. “The story I tell is of people trying to resist this, no matter what,” said Field. “The most important thing for me now is that audiences understand we must fight back and that democracy is crucially important to everything. I was very impressed by these Hungarian women who’ve been carrying on this fight for 12 years and never giving up. I find that very invigorating and hopeful – and I hope my American audience finds it the same way.” Explore more on these topics - [Viktor Orbán](https://www.theguardian.com/world/viktor-orban) - [Hungary](https://www.theguardian.com/world/hungary) - [Europe](https://www.theguardian.com/world/europe-news) - [Documentary films](https://www.theguardian.com/film/documentary) - [Donald Trump](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/donaldtrump) - [Vladimir Putin](https://www.theguardian.com/world/vladimir-putin) - [Trump administration](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/trump-administration) - [features](https://www.theguardian.com/tone/features) Share [Reuse this content](https://syndication.theguardian.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2025%2Fsep%2F06%2Fdemocracy-noir-viktor-orban-hungary-trump&type=article&internalpagecode=world/2025/sep/06/democracy-noir-viktor-orban-hungary-trump "Reuse this content") ### Most viewed - [![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/8c396ee8814a91913eb9f979c9f108e2a5fc5aa0/0_58_1440_1152/master/1440.jpg?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) Arkansas police arrest Kendra Duggar on child abuse charges](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/22/arkansas-kendra-dugger-child-abuse-charges) - [![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/f75d3557be841045422b143e3a6006441c0ab7a9/129_0_1320_1056/master/1320.jpg?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) US warns Americans worldwide to show ‘increased caution’ – as it happened](https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/mar/22/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-war-trump-ultimatum-major-attack-strait-of-hormuz-open-israel-hit-tehran-retaliation) - [![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/68fcdb474d636d71767c8d4895e6cc7eed50dde4/0_1063_3937_3150/master/3937.jpg?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) I have stage four cancer – there will be no cure, but death isn’t necessarily imminent: this is how it feels to live in the long middle](https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/mar/22/i-have-stage-four-cancer-there-will-be-no-cure-but-death-isnt-necessarily-imminent-this-is-how-it-feels-to-live-in-the-long-middle) - [![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/bef31857a5ca2a43d9d84c53e09fde240f851f9e/0_19_2400_1920/master/2400.jpg?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) Barry Keoghan says online abuse means he ‘doesn’t want to go outside’ any more](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/mar/23/barry-keoghan-says-online-abuse-means-he-doesnt-want-to-go-outside-any-more) - [![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/02a0d50f3e8184cbcb463ac990bb650ebf561bb0/230_0_2300_1840/master/2300.jpg?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) ‘Nobody else is responsible’: Trump to blame for Iran crisis, ex-CIA chief says](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/22/trump-iran-leon-panetta) ## Related stories ## Related stories - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/68a011b44fad16a5f641a3a4927bfbfb37fd40b1/240_222_1080_864/master/1080.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### US grants Hungary one-year exception from sanctions over Russian oil and gas 8 Nov 2025 - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/9bf9d50c019743898606c8e13180d062a93ffb77/252_2_4001_3202/master/4001.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### Hungary opposition figures urge Democrats to organize against autocratic takeover by Trump 16 Jul 2025 - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/1436a186bf8eb619f926504bbab74980038d8bd8/0_303_3500_2101/master/3500.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### Orbán says Hungary is ‘exempt’ from the conflict: tell that to his friend in Moscow 29 Oct 2022 [383 383 comments](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/oct/29/viktor-orban-hungary-conflict-moscow-war-in-ukraine#comments) - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/98cdeb91ebfd53d5e472b510d88378a4a10b3b35/787_200_3131_1878/master/3131.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### Victory of Putin ally Orbán in Hungary may trigger freeze on EU funding 4 Apr 2022 - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/e4ccfc02b05ee44e8548612ca8b7923977c89356/0_14_3587_2152/master/3587.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### Hungary for Brexit: Orbán praises Johnson and Trump 9 Jan 2020 - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/f965424b2a71d59f4c5a9c31e92ab17ee315d2c1/0_227_5168_3100/master/5168.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### Trump praises Hungary's far-right leader Orbán: 'He’s a respected man' – as it happened 14 May 2019 - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/f50cd305d0177070215d2c802bcb9daa2479c2e4/0_300_4500_2700/master/4500.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### Trump lauds Hungary's nationalist PM Orbán for 'tremendous job' 13 May 2019 - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/ffe4b899288d59fed024d650ab6f45261ae4d8d1/0_152_3500_2100/master/3500.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### Hungary’s PM Viktor Orbán to meet Donald Trump at White House 2 May 2019 ## More from News ## More from News - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/9e7642ab74a291def33ecc37ae546fd604dc70f7/359_0_4670_3736/master/4670.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### FranceSocialist Emmanuel Grégoire elected Paris mayor, as National Rally fails to take key cities 11m ago - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/bef31857a5ca2a43d9d84c53e09fde240f851f9e/0_19_2400_1920/master/2400.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### Barry KeoghanActor says online abuse means he ‘doesn’t want to go outside’ any more 3h ago - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/061e84230d611dc2ea1ad5579067c83524045855/2266_513_4462_3570/master/4462.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### HungaryTrump lauds Viktor Orbán as Europe’s far-right leaders gather in Budapest 12h ago - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/dc897a565736fc26e81827f55ba1389c408b857f/1318_31_4682_3744/master/4682.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### Brussels attacks‘It is a shock’: survivors of Brussels bombings face pension cuts 10 years on 23h ago - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/5c4df82342c542a5ddca01ad24ff94100ebe6786/595_0_3750_3000/master/3750.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### SloveniaSlovenia goes to polls in election marked by claims of anti-Romany rhetoric 6h ago - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/b69d5152c85e2d864da714468ecc1e3339b47cb5/500_0_5000_4000/master/5000.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### FootballManchester City win Carabao Cup after Nico O’Reilly’s double downs lacklustre Arsenal 9h ago [410 410 comments](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/mar/22/arsenal-manchester-city-carabao-cup-final-match-report#comments) - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/3e8e37e38f0993aa27bc5298918b30890383f78d/852_0_6724_5382/master/6724.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### West BankIsraeli settlers carry out series of West Bank attacks as security forces stand by 13h ago - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/70b1a016fefad6a27e3a440c454c91be33ee5cb0/288_0_2249_1799/master/2249.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### UKUndercover police officer exposed by his own blunder, spycops inquiry hears 15h ago - ![](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/f102c2665f0b033de921b95104d4fbd9d20ebbb9/0_0_5000_4000/master/5000.jpg?width=220&dpr=1&s=none&crop=5%3A4) ### Chappell RoanChappell Roan responds to criticism from footballer Jorginho after incident with security 11h ago ## Most viewed ## Most viewed - [Most viewed Across the Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/06/tabs-popular-0) - [Most viewed in World news](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/06/tabs-popular-1) ### Most viewed Across the\ Guardian 1. [US warns Americans worldwide to show ‘increased caution’ – as it happened](https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/mar/22/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-war-trump-ultimatum-major-attack-strait-of-hormuz-open-israel-hit-tehran-retaliation) 2. [Barry Keoghan says online abuse means he ‘doesn’t want to go outside’ any more](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/mar/23/barry-keoghan-says-online-abuse-means-he-doesnt-want-to-go-outside-any-more) 3. [‘Nobody else is responsible’: Trump to blame for Iran crisis, ex-CIA chief says](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/22/trump-iran-leon-panetta) 4. [Socialist Emmanuel Grégoire elected mayor of Paris](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/22/paris-mayoral-race-socialist-emmanuel-gregoire-projected-to-win) 5. [‘Extremely ugly’: Maga media figures squabble among themselves over Trump’s Iran war](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/22/maga-media-fight-trump-iran-war) 6. [Trump lauds Viktor Orbán as Europe’s far-right leaders gather in Budapest](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/22/trump-lauds-viktor-orban-far-right-leaders-gather-budapest) 7. [Iran vows to destroy Middle East water and energy facilities if US attacks power plants](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/22/iran-says-destroy-middle-east-infrastructure-us-energy-sites) 8. [I have stage four cancer – there will be no cure, but death isn’t necessarily imminent: this is how it feels to live in the long middle](https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/mar/22/i-have-stage-four-cancer-there-will-be-no-cure-but-death-isnt-necessarily-imminent-this-is-how-it-feels-to-live-in-the-long-middle) 9. [‘You lose yourself’: inside the mental health crisis hitting gen X women](https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/mar/22/hidden-mental-health-crisis-gen-x-women) 10. [Chappell Roan responds to criticism from footballer Jorginho after incident with security](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/mar/22/chappell-roan-responds-to-criticism-from-footballer-jorginho-after-incident-with-security) ### Most viewed in World news 1. [US warns Americans worldwide to show ‘increased caution’ – as it happened](https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/mar/22/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-war-trump-ultimatum-major-attack-strait-of-hormuz-open-israel-hit-tehran-retaliation) 2. [Iran vows to destroy Middle East water and energy facilities if US attacks power plants](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/22/iran-says-destroy-middle-east-infrastructure-us-energy-sites) 3. [Ukraine war briefing: Russia trying to ‘intensify’ attacks; US-Ukraine talks end](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/23/ukraine-war-briefing-russia-trying-to-intensify-attacks-us-ukraine-talks-end) 4. [Socialist Emmanuel Grégoire elected mayor of Paris](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/22/paris-mayoral-race-socialist-emmanuel-gregoire-projected-to-win) 5. [Netanyahu hopes destroying Iranian ‘axis of evil’ will rehabilitate his image](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/22/netanyahu-hopes-destroying-iranian-axis-of-evil-will-rehabilitate-his-image) 6. [Trump lauds Viktor Orbán as Europe’s far-right leaders gather in Budapest](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/22/trump-lauds-viktor-orban-far-right-leaders-gather-budapest) 7. [LiveMiddle East crisis live: IEA chief says Iran war energy crunch worse than 1970s oil crises and Ukraine war combined](https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/mar/23/middle-east-crisis-live-iea-chief-says-iran-war-energy-crunch-worse-than-1970s-oil-crises-and-ukraine-war-combined) 8. [Projectile strikes vessel off coast of UAE - as it happened](https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/mar/21/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-war-trump-eases-oil-sanctions-israel-strikes) 9. [Trump tells Iran it has 48 hours to open Hormuz or US will ‘obliterate’ its power plants](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/22/iran-donald-trump-48-hours-open-hormuz-strait) 10. [‘It is a shock’: survivors of Brussels bombings face pension cuts 10 years on](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/22/brussels-bombings-attacks-2016-anniversary-survivors-pensions-compensation) - [World](https://www.theguardian.com/world) - [Europe](https://www.theguardian.com/world/europe-news) - [US news](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news) - [Americas](https://www.theguardian.com/world/americas) - [Asia](https://www.theguardian.com/world/asia) - [Australia](https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news) - [Middle East](https://www.theguardian.com/world/middleeast) - [Africa](https://www.theguardian.com/world/africa) - [Inequality](https://www.theguardian.com/inequality) - [Global development](https://www.theguardian.com/global-development) - [News](https://www.theguardian.com/) - [Opinion](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree) - [Sport](https://www.theguardian.com/sport) - [Culture](https://www.theguardian.com/culture) - [Lifestyle](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle) Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning [Sign up for our email](https://www.theguardian.com/global/2022/sep/20/sign-up-for-the-first-edition-newsletter-our-free-news-email) - [About us](https://www.theguardian.com/about) - [Help](https://manage.theguardian.com/help-centre) - [Complaints & corrections](https://www.theguardian.com/info/complaints-and-corrections) - [Contact us](https://www.theguardian.com/help/contact-us) - [Tip us off](https://www.theguardian.com/tips) - [SecureDrop](https://www.theguardian.com/securedrop) - [Privacy policy](https://www.theguardian.com/info/privacy) - [Cookie policy](https://www.theguardian.com/info/cookies) - [Tax strategy](https://uploads.guim.co.uk/2025/09/05/Tax_strategy_for_the_year_ended_31_March_2025.pdf) - [Terms & conditions](https://www.theguardian.com/help/terms-of-service) - [All topics](https://www.theguardian.com/index/subjects/a) - [All writers](https://www.theguardian.com/index/contributors) - [Newsletters](https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?INTCMP=DOTCOM_FOOTER_NEWSLETTER_EUROPE) - [Digital newspaper archive](https://theguardian.newspapers.com/) - [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/theguardian.com) - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/theguardian) - [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/guardian) - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/theguardian) - [Threads](https://www.threads.com/@guardian) - [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@guardian) - [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGuardian) - [Advertise with us](https://advertising.theguardian.com/) - [Search UK jobs](https://jobs.theguardian.com/) - [Tips](https://www.theguardian.com/tips) - [Accessibility settings](https://www.theguardian.com/help/accessibility-help) - [Work with us](https://workwithus.theguardian.com/) Support the Guardian Available for everyone, funded by readers [Support us](https://support.theguardian.com/?INTCMP=footer_support&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22:%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22,%22componentType%22:%22ACQUISITIONS_FOOTER%22,%22componentId%22:%22footer_support%22%7D) [Back to top](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/06/democracy-noir-viktor-orban-hungary-trump#top) © 2026 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. (dcr)
Readable Markdown	Just over 40 seconds into Democracy Noir, Connie Field’s [documentary](https://www.theguardian.com/film/documentary) about contemporary [Hungary](https://www.theguardian.com/world/hungary), the moral of the tale becomes clear. On the heels of striking opening shots of the Danube and Budapest, [Viktor Orbán](https://www.theguardian.com/world/viktor-orban), the Hungarian prime minister and the film’s central subject, is seen introducing himself, in English, to a group of political activists, followed by footage of him chatting amiably with [Vladimir Putin](https://www.theguardian.com/world/vladimir-putin) – and then another scene of him shaking hands with a broadly smiling [Donald Trump](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/donaldtrump). Perceptive viewers are unlikely to miss the subliminal message; this is not just about the politics of a smallish east-central European country. On the contrary, the 90-minute documentary – opening in the US this week and portraying Orbán’s creeping authoritarian takeover of an erstwhile liberal democracy through the eyes of three women; Timea Szabó, an opposition politician, Babette Oroszi, a television journalist, and Niko Antal, a nurse – has universal resonance and urgent relevance for American audiences grappling with the consequences of Trump. “I’d say this is the most ‘hitting the zeitgeist’ film I’ve made,” said Field, an award-winning director whose [previous work](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0275908/) includes documentaries about the fall of apartheid in South Africa, the US civil rights movement and the My Lai massacre during the Vietnam war. “One of our absolute, biggest dangers we’re facing in the world today is the demise of democracy. People think that word is abstract. It’s not. It’s really the best system we have to work towards real equality in our societies.” Fields, whose husband, Pierre Divenyi, is Hungarian, started filming and chronicling events in the country after witnessing a demonstration in Budapest’s Liberty Square in 2014. Demonstrators were protesting against a memorial commissioned by Orbán’s government they said falsely portrayed the second world war-era Hungarian government as a victim, rather than recognize that it was allied with Nazi Germany. Her initial aim was to depict the decline and possible demise of democracy in [Hungary](https://www.theguardian.com/world/hungary) – a Nato and European Union member – as Orbán relentlessly pursued his goal of fashioning an illiberal state by changing the constitution to skew election outcomes and retain power, while emptying institutions like the courts, universities and public broadcasters of dissenting elements. But the advent of Trump – and the forging of ties between the two men – has made the topic startlingly relevant in her native US. Some of Trump’s leading followers have cited Hungary [as the model](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/07/trump-viktor-orban-electoral-autocracy) that the US should emulate. Orbán [visited Trump](https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jul/11/nato-viktor-orban-peace-mission-trump) at Mar-a-Lago three times in 2024, including in the weeks after his election victory over Kamala Harris. In turn, CPAC, the Trump-supporting rightwing political action committee, has [staged several conferences](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/05/cpac-hungary-kari-lake-rightwing-press-freedom) in Budapest. But the sensitivities over Orbán’s links with Trump have become clear in Washington DC, where the documentary’s distributor, Clarity Films, has yet to find a local cinema prepared to screen it – in at least one case, allegedly because of fears that it may upset people linked to the White House. “One theater owner said they didn’t want to alienate their audience, or some of their audience, or people working for Trump,” said Field. “They told my distributor they were afraid of alienating half their constituency.” Separately, a cinema in Boise, Idaho – a solidly Republican state – withdrew from an agreement to show the film, claiming that there was no local market. Field is convinced that the events of recent months, when the Trump’s administration has targeted immigrants, transgender rights and vast segments of the federal government, will enable those Americans who do see the film to clearly see the parallels. “I’ve had certain small audiences,” Field said, including a benefit event for Indivisible, a progressive movement that has been involved in protests against Trump since his return to the White House. “They went: ‘Oh my God, this is what’s happening.’ It gave them a way to understand it totally by seeing all the similarities in the strategies. It became apparent to people in a much clearer way, that’s what they were facing.” Field sees one overarching common thread between Trump and Orbán, a former liberal and George Soros-financed scholar at Oxford University who underwent a sharp political conversion after leading a center-right government to defeat in 2002. “After he lost the election in 2002, it put him in a real big depression,” she said. “So he went about literally trying to organize a constituency that he could represent, that would be loyal to him.” She drew a parallel with Trump’s construction of the “Make America great again” movement. But she also sees sobering – and disturbing – differences, leading her to conclude that Trump poses a greater danger. Where Orbán moved slowly, accumulating autocratic power gradually over several years, Trump is now subjecting the US to “a complete onslaught”. “He’s trying to paint a picture for us now that this is coming for you, if you don’t watch out. And he starts with the most vulnerable, the immigrants. Orbán never had to use any of that.” Still, Field’s message is one of hope. The US has two advantages in countering his autocratic ambitions that Hungary lacked: the devolving of political power to the states (in contrast to Hungary’s easily mastered unitary model) and the Democrats’ status as a well-funded opposition party. In the face of years of spirited Hungarian resistance, exemplified by the three heroines of Field’s film, Orbán remains in office, although polls show his governing Fidesz party on course to lose next year’s scheduled election to the opposition Tisza party, led by Péter Magyar. That would signal the first change in power in 16 years. “The story I tell is of people trying to resist this, no matter what,” said Field. “The most important thing for me now is that audiences understand we must fight back and that democracy is crucially important to everything. I was very impressed by these Hungarian women who’ve been carrying on this fight for 12 years and never giving up. I find that very invigorating and hopeful – and I hope my American audience finds it the same way.”
Shard	99 (laksa)
Root Hash	4161074618625082499
Unparsed URL	com,theguardian!www,/world/2025/sep/06/democracy-noir-viktor-orban-hungary-trump s443