A documentary chronicling Gov. Ron DeSantis's conservative overhaul of New College of Florida opens Friday, Sept. 18, at O Cinema South Beach, with in-person Q&As from the filmmakers Sept. 18 through Sept. 20.

"First They Came For My College," directed by Patrick Bresnan, screens at the nonprofit art house at 1130 Washington Ave., Suite 200, through Thursday, Sept. 24. Tickets cost $12.50 at o-cinema.org.

Bresnan spent a year embedded at the Sarasota campus after DeSantis appointed six conservative allies to the school's Board of Trustees in January 2023. Much of the footage was shot by students themselves, on iPhones the director distributed to them, WLRN reported.

The film follows the fallout through the eyes of Chloe Rusek and Gaby Batista, staffers of the student newspaper The Catalyst. Within weeks of the new trustees taking their seats, President Patricia Okker was fired. The board installed Richard Corcoran, a lobbyist and close DeSantis ally, as her replacement.

The Gender Studies program was eliminated, professors up for tenure were denied despite meeting criteria, and teaching staff began leaving.

"People think this is just a Florida thing – this is a big, big story that is coming for universities, even in liberal places," Bresnan told WLRN.

New College's current administration has publicly disputed the film's framing, calling it a one-sided account of what it describes as a necessary rescue, according to the O Cinema event page.

The film premiered at SXSW 2026 and has screened at True/False Film Festival, DC/DOX, the San Francisco International Film Festival and Independent Film Festival Boston. It runs one hour and 45 minutes.

Three Q&A sessions accompany the Miami Beach run. Bresnan and New College student Gaby Batista appear after the Friday, Sept. 18, screening at 7 p.m. and the Saturday, Sept. 19, screening at 6 p.m.

Producer Harry William Hanbury, a New College alumnus who helped launch investigative journalism nonprofits American News Project and Retro Report, joins Batista for the Sunday, Sept. 20, showing at 2 p.m.

PEN America Florida is co-presenting the Friday screening. William Johnson, director of PEN America's Florida office, will moderate that evening's Q&A. A $4 discount is available with promo code PEN at checkout.

The Florida theatrical run also includes screenings in Gainesville, Sarasota, St. Petersburg and Tallahassee.

Upcoming at O Cinema South Beach

  • "First They Came For My College" screens daily through Thursday, Sept. 24. Full showtimes at o-cinema.org.
  • Q&A with director Patrick Bresnan and Gaby Batista: Friday, Sept. 18, 7 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 19, 6 p.m.
  • Q&A with producer Harry William Hanbury and Gaby Batista: Sunday, Sept. 20, 2 p.m.