Ava DuVernay is back with a new documentary that's set to ignite the flames of debate once more – '14th', a scorching exploration of the 14th Amendment, which has been at the heart of America's identity crisis. This Netflix release marks her return to non-fiction filmmaking, and it's clear she's not for the faint of heart, given her track record with documentaries like BAFTA-nominated '13th'. That film tore apart the legacy of the 13th Amendment and the abolition of slavery; now, DuVernay is turning her attention to its successor, the very amendment that abolished Dred Scott v. Sandford's infamous ruling, denying citizenship to those descended from enslaved people.
The 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, was a seismic moment in US history, with its bold declaration: "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside." It's this very provision for birthright citizenship that has been at the centre of America's ongoing struggle – a contentious issue that even the mighty former President Donald Trump couldn't ignore. In June 2026, the US Supreme Court delivered a crushing blow to his executive order, ruling it invalid by a 6-3 vote and upholding the amendment's protections.
Chief Justice John Roberts' words in the majority decision were music to the ears of those fighting for equality: "Citizenship, then and now, was the right to have rights – to freely participate in our political community. The Framers of the Fourteenth Amendment extended that promise to ‘every free-born person in this land.’ We keep that promise today." But Trump's defiant stance is a stark reminder that this debate is far from over – and Ava DuVernay's '14th' promises to throw fuel on the fire.
As she navigates this complex web of history, politics, and culture, DuVernay has indicated that her film will be an unflinching examination of how the 14th Amendment has become a permanent argument in American society. With a diverse cast of voices – politicians, historians, cultural commentators – '14th' is set to spark a national conversation about what it means to be American.
For DuVernay, this film isn't just about looking back at history; it's about the present and future. As she so eloquently puts it: "If 13th asked who gets caged, then 14th asks who gets counted. This is not a film about the past tense of freedom. I’m not interested in asking you to look back. The film asks what kind of country is being written beneath our feet now… while we’re busy believing the stories we’ve all been told."