DAMNED IN THE USA - Building for the Arts

Fall of Freedom and The Martin Garbus ’59 First Amendment Fellowship at New York University Law School present--

DAMNED IN THE USA (68 minutes)

a documentary about censorship and a discussion of the lawsuit and trial that followed to block the film’s 1991 release.

a film by Paul Yule, produced by Jonathan Stack

The film will be followed by a panel discussion moderated by Cultural Historian Isaac Butler (author of The Perfect Moment: God, Sex, Art, and the Birth of America's Culture Wars. Bloomsbury. June 2026) with writer, director, producer, Paul Yule, producer, Jonathan Stack and First Amendment lawyer, Martin Garbus, Esq.

All ticket proceeds will go to The Martin Garbus '59 First Amendment Fellowship

Theatre Row
410 W 42nd Street
New York, NY 10036

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At a moment when the First Amendment faces increasing pressure—across courtrooms, campuses, newsrooms, and public life—the need for principled, fearless advocates has never been greater. Yet the path to this work is narrowing. Each summer, many of the nation's most talented law students are drawn away from public service by the financial reality of Big Law, choices that often define the trajectory of an entire legal career.

This dynamic means that even students deeply committed to defending free speech and civil liberties may feel unable to pursue that work during their most formative years. The Martin Garbus '59 First Amendment Fellowship supports students pursuing public service experience specifically related to upholding the First Amendment between their 1L and 2L years. The fund seeks to raise $200,000 at a minimum to establish this fellowship in perpetuity—endowed to support one to two Garbus Fellows each summer, ensuring that Martin Garbus' legacy continues to shape generations of lawyers and the communities they serve.

Make a tax-deductible contribution to the Garbus/NYU Law scholarship fund

"Damned in the USA, British filmmaker Paul Yule's brilliant documentary about censorship in America, is a great movie. An important movie. Everyone must see it." --Washington Post

The 68-minute documentary, originally produced for Channel4 in the UK, features interviews with Donald Wildmon of the American Family Association, mixed in with footage of controversial works of Robert Mapplethorpe and Andres Serrano, among others.

Make a tax-deductible contribution to the Garbus/NYU Law scholarship fund