02/13/2026
“SEIZED,” a documentary about the illegal August 2023 police raid on the Marion County Record in Kansas, made its world premiere in the U.S. Documentary Competition at Sundance 2026, Jan. 25.
“All 5 screenings at Sundance enjoyed a full house. The audience reaction was beyond our expectations, and many reviews have been coming in since,” said the film's Director Sharon Liese.
SPJ supported the film’s development with a $15,000 contribution in 2024 through its First Amendment Forever Fund. In 2023, SPJ also committed up to $20,000 in legal defense assistance to the Record following the raid.
Directed by Liese and produced by Sasha Alpert and Paul Matyasovsky, the film follows the small Kansas town of Marion in the aftermath of the raid and the death of the newspaper’s 90-year-old co-owner. It explores press freedom, abuse of power, journalistic ethics, local reporting and the constitutional stakes at the heart of the story.
🔗 Learn more about “SEIZED”: https://bit.ly/4kp3s53