“Join or Die” Screening Sparks Civic Conversation in Front Royal

Civic engagement took center stage Friday evening as the Royal Cinemas hosted a special screening of the documentary Join or Die, followed by a live Q&A with the film’s director, Rebecca Davis.

Davis, who traveled from Falls Church to attend the March 14 event, spoke with audience members about the message behind the film, the research that inspired it, and the importance of building community ties in today’s world.

“I really appreciate your time,” said Royal Cinemas owner Rick Novak in his welcome remarks. “I’ve seen the movie a couple times, and I think it’s really important for our community—and our country—to try and develop social capital.”

Rotary District Governor Bret Hrbek co-hosted the event and helped bring the film to town through his organization’s support. During the post-screening discussion, Hrbek joined Rebecca Davis on stage, asking questions about the film’s message and the inspiration behind it. He also shared personal stories about his own family’s connection to civic groups and praised the documentary for highlighting the importance of community involvement.

“I’ve been a fan of Dr. Robert Putnam’s work for a long time,” said Hrbek. “This film brings those ideas to life in a powerful way.”

Join or Die follows the life and research of Harvard professor Robert Putnam, author of the influential book Bowling Alone. The film explores how Americans are becoming less connected to community groups, churches, and clubs—and what that trend means for the health of democracy and society.

Davis, who co-created the film with her brother Pete Davis (who also narrates it), explained how her own experience as a journalist covering national crises—like school shootings and the opioid epidemic—led her to Putnam’s work.

“I was flying around the country covering symptoms of this breakdown,” Davis said. “I wanted to dig deeper into the root causes.”

She also described how the COVID-19 pandemic shaped the project’s message. “We didn’t need data to know celebrating a birthday over Zoom didn’t feel the same as being in person,” she said. “It reminded us how much we need real human connection.”

The audience Q&A was lively, with discussions ranging from youth engagement and online gaming communities to the importance of making clubs more fun and welcoming.

“There’s this idea that clubs have to be serious,” said Davis. “But what struck me in our research was how much joy people found in these spaces—banquets, costumes, parades. That joy builds stronger communities.”

The film also touches on the importance of organizations like Rotary, Kiwanis, and Odd Fellows, along with newer groups designed to meet today’s needs. Davis noted that choosing which clubs to highlight in the film was one of the hardest parts of the editing process.

While the film doesn’t offer a single solution, it ends with a clear call to action: Join a group.

“We really tried to flip the script,” said Davis. “Instead of saving the call to action for the end, we start the film with it. We want people to walk away inspired to participate—whether it’s a civic club, a pickleball league, or a book club.”

Davis also emphasized the importance of reaching younger generations and creating more opportunities for people to connect outside of work and family life.

“We’re seeing a strong response across the country,” she said. “People are hungry for community.”

Join or Die will continue showing at Royal Cinemas through March 20, with multiple screenings each day. For more information, visit www.joinordiefilm.com or stop by the theater.

‘Join or Die’ Documentary Comes to Royal Cinemas, Sparking Civic Conversation