LAST EXIT MIDTERMS – DEMOCRACY IN DANGER?
As the U.S. heads into the pivotal 2026 midterm elections, a journey through Arizona reveals a democracy under pressure – where opposing worlds collide over migration, economic insecurity and a fundamental question: will Americans still accept the result if they lose?
Year
2026
Length
45 min
Director
Marcel Mettelsiefen, Ira Beetz
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Synopsis
November 3, 2026, marks the halfway point of Donald Trump’s second term, and Americans will elect a new Congress. For Trump, this puts his power to the test: The midterms will determine whether Congress will keep the president in check or give him free rein in the future. Just how fundamental this conflict is becomes particularly clear in Arizona. This hotly contested state has become a microcosm of a deeply divided nation. Here, we see what is driving the entire country: the debate over immigration, economic security, and the nation’s political direction—but also the growing doubt as to whether election results are even accepted anymore. The film follows people on opposing sides of this conflict and asks: Do democratic checks and balances still function when trust in elections, the opposition, and institutions is dwindling?
Written and directed by:
Marcel Mettelsiefen, Ira Beetz
DOP:
Marcel Mettelsiefen
John Landry
Mateusz Smolka
Felix Greif
Stefan Wiesen
Editor:
Stephen Ellis
Jens Greuner
Graphics:
Studio Fritz Gnad
Color Correction:
Andreas Teichert
Fact Checking:
Dr. David Sirakov
With Contributions from:
Hebah Abdalla Lehmann
Joi Lee
Archive Producer:
Florian Tropp
Masha Chelova
Thembi Hahn
Post Production Management:
Alexander Steyer
Producer:
Eva Fouquet
Nele Thumser
Production Assistants:
Theresa Altmeyer
Production Management:
Marcel Rechten
Line Producer:
Ferdinand Freising
Executive Producer:
Reinhardt Beetz
Production ZDF:
Jenny Heininger
Commissioning Editors ZDF:
Ron Boese
Carmen Peter
Editorial Management ZDF:
Caroline Reiher
Sales & distribution
- Press kit
- Press photos