The Smile of the Leader

2011 1h 15m IT

😐

5.8

MID

⭐

7.2

IMDB

★5.8TMDB · 7★7.2IMDB · 19

DocumentaryHistory

Synopsis

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Using astounding footage from the Luce archives (newsreels, but also true films) Il sorriso del capo/The Smile of the Leader shows how propaganda works, presents everyday life in its most revealing details, and describes a country's "education". Marco Bechis explores the feeling of consensus: he tells us where it originates, what tools are used to spread it, how it is opposed. The thread running through the film is a voice, enigmatic until the end, narrating in the first person what it is like to grow up under fascism.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Benito Mussolini
Self

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Marco Bechis
Writers: Marco Bechis, Marco Bechis, Marco Bechis
Languages: Italian
Countries: Italy

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 75-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 15 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Marco Bechis, shot by Alvise Tedesco. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Pericle Odierna. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Marco Bechis shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt2238803 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 7 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Marco Bechis directs. Alvise Tedesco behind the camera. Pericle Odierna scores. Marco Bechis cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Italy. Dialogue in Italian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 75-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
2Released 15 years ago.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Directed by Marco Bechis, shot by Alvise Tedesco. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Pericle Odierna. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Marco Bechis shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7IMDB entry: tt2238803 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 7 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.