
Transmitting Democracy: Legacies and New Struggles
Talk

Illustration by Pierre Buttin
Cleveland Park Library
3310 Connecticut Ave NW
Washington, DC 20008
November 5, 2025 | 6:00pm
On November 5, join Villa Albertine, the French Institute for Culture and Education, the DC Public Library, and MOVIE NIGHTS by French In Motion for an exploration of equality and justice through the legacy of late French Minister of Justice Robert Badinter, as part of the “Democracy in an Age of Uncertainty” series.
Villa Albertine, in partnership with the DC Public Library and MOVIE NIGHTS by French In Motion, will host an evening devoted to the subject of equality and justice through the lens of the legacy of late French Minister of Justice Robert Badinter, known for abolishing the death penalty in France in 1981. In honor of his remarkable life of service, Badinter was interred at the Panthéon on October 9, 2025.
This free, public event brings together leading voices from France and the United States, including judges, authors, educators, and students, to share perspectives on civic life, rights, and shared values. The panel discussion will precede a screening of the documentary Les combats méconnus de Robert Badinter, on Badinter’s life.
The program is free and open to all. Register here.
Learn more about the panelists and full lineup below.
Democracy in an Age of Uncertainty, a series from Villa Albertine exploring challenges to liberal democracies in France, the United States, and around the world, launched at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in September 2024. The series continued with three events , including our latest installment at Philadelphia’s National Constitution Center in May 2025. The series is made possible thanks to the Judy and Peter Blum Kovler Foundation.
Program
Panel Discussion
Location: Cleveland Park Library Auditorium
This event is in English.
Opening remarks by Meaghan O’Connor, DC Public Library’s Director of Service Design and Engagement and Caroline Monvoisin, Consul General of France in Washington DC.
Bringing together leading voices in law and civil society from both sides of the Atlantic, this panel will examine how former French Minister of Justice Robert Badinter’s lifelong commitment to justice resonates today and continues to inspire future generations. A tireless advocate for justice and fundamental rights, former French Minister of Justice Robert Badinter’s legacy extends far beyond the abolition of the death penalty. His interment at the Panthéon, the mausoleum in Paris where France honors its great figures, presents an opportunity to reflect on what it means to transmit democracy in an age marked by uncertainty and new challenges.
Screening of “Les combats méconnus de Robert Badinter” (The Unknown Battles of Robert Badinter) and Q&A
Documentary by Dominique Missika and Bethsabée Zarka
The U.S. premiere of this 52-minute documentary sheds light on Robert Badinter’s lesser-known battles: the humanization of prisons, the fight against discriminatory laws, the defense of judicial independence, and the preservation of memory in the face of antisemitism and denial. Combining archival materials and testimonies, the film explores Badinter’s legacy as a jurist, minister, and humanist whose work continues to resonate in France and beyond.
We are honored to welcome co-director Bethsabée Zarka for a discussion following the screening.
The film is produced by Nova Production and LCP-AN, with cinematography by Joseph Haley, Caroline le Hello, and Pierre Duyckaerts; editing by Bruno Maruani; research by Élise Lellouche; graphics by Maud Drouin; and an original score by Alexandre Zapata. Broadcast by LCP-AN and Toute l’Histoire with the participation of the CNC. This screening is made possible with the support of French in Motion, a nonprofit organization fostering collaborations in the audiovisual industry.
Panelists
Paul D. Clement – United States
Distinguished Lecturer in Law, Georgetown University Law Center; Partner, Clement & Murphy
Paul D. Clement is one of the most influential appellate lawyers in the United States in the field of constitutional litigation. Former Solicitor General (2005–2008), he has argued more than one hundred cases before the Supreme Court, shaping jurisprudence on major constitutional and civil liberties issues. As co-founder of the boutique firm Clement & Murphy, he combines technical rigor with civic responsibility, inspiring a new generation of lawyers to defend justice and democratic institutions.
Bethsabée Zarka – France
Journalist and Documentary Filmmaker
Bethsabée Zarka began her career with AFP in Jerusalem, covering the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza in 2005. She has since directed numerous documentaries and reports for France 2, Arte, and Canal+. Her films include Israel: Under Pressure from the Ultra-Orthodox (FIGRA 2016), Hasidic Jews in New York (2025), and The Middle School Years. Her most recent work, co-directed with Dominique Missika, Les combats méconnus de Robert Badinter, explores Badinter’s enduring legacy for democracy and justice.
In partnership with

The Judy and Peter Blum Kovler Foundation
The Foundation’s work has included underwriting of such public spaces as Washington’s Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the Holocaust Museum; in New York, the new Statue of Liberty Museum; and in Chicago, as early supporters of the Obama Presidential Center. In connection to French culture and history, it has underwritten efforts at Notre Dame restoration, the Louvre Endowment, and to Holocaust studies including the 1988 Academy Award winning documentary, Hotel Terminus, the Life and Times of Klaus Barbie.

District of Columbia Public Library
The District of Columbia Public Library is a dynamic source of information, programs, books and other library materials and services that improve the quality of life for District residents of all ages that, when combined with expert staff, helps build a thriving city. The Library provides environments that invite reading, community conversation, creative inspiration and exploration, lectures, films, computer access and use, workforce and economic development, storytimes for children, and much more. DC Public Library includes the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library and 25 neighborhood libraries and also provides services in nontraditional settings outside of the library buildings. DC Public Library enriches and nourishes the lives and minds of all District residents, provides them with the services and tools needed to transform lives, and builds and supports community throughout the District of Columbia.
For more information, click here.

French in Motion
Created in 2016, FRENCH IN MOTION is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, with chapters in Los Angeles, New York, and Washington DC.
We bring together a growing community of nearly 400 film and TV talent and professionals from both sides of the Atlantic.
Led by an executive board of seasoned industry executives and producers, French In Motion champions award-winning international co-productions in film and TV, including an Oscar-nominated feature. Learn more.

Movie Nights by French In Motion
Movie Nights by French In Motion is an exciting initiative launched in Washington DC in 2024. The program celebrates the creativity and diversity of our local French In Motion community of filmmakers, while also showcasing select French works from France and occasional international titles.
Through monthly screenings hosted in various venues across Washington DC, Movie Nights creates a space for discovery, dialogue, and cross-cultural exchange. Learn more.