SEIZED

(director: Sharon Liese; cinematographer: Jackson Montemayor; editor: Derek Boonstra; cast:  Phyllis Zorn (Reporter), Cheri Henz (Office Manager), Finn Hartnett (Cub Reporter), Eric Meyer (Newspaper Owner); Runtime: 90; MPAA Rating: NR; producers: Sasha Alpert, Sharon Liese, Paul Matyasovsky; Herizon Productions; 2026)

“Poignant political documentary on freedom of speech.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

Sharon Liese (“Transhood”/”The Flagmaker”) directs this poignant political documentary on freedom of speech. A topic that’s timely because of the Trump administrations fascist attitude about those saying things he doesn’t want to hear and his wanting to shut them down.


On August 11, 2023, the Marion Police Department in Kansas raided the office of the local family-run paper, The Marion County Record, as well as the home of publisher/editor Eric Meyer. His 98-year-old mother Joan was present and died the next day due to the stress.

The local cops during their illegal raid took away the newspaper worker’s cell phones and the paper’s files and computers. This nasty incident made the national news that evening. The reason for the raid was because of a personal reason held by the local police chief, Gideon Cody, against the paper. The abuse of power incident came about when the paper had proof that a local business owner was driving on a suspended license. She was dating Officer Cody, who then ordered as payback that the police force carry out the illegal raid. The tough-minded Meyer fought back to protect his First Amendment rights and wasn’t intimidated by those who oppose a free press.

It played at the Sundance Film Festival.

REVIEWED ON 5/14/2026  GRADE: B
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