So Clever Are German Spies

The Occupation of the American Mind

January 2016 •English

Over the past few years, Israel's ongoing military occupation of Palestinian territory and repeated invasions of the Gaza strip have triggered a fierce backlash against Israeli policies virtually everywhere in the world—except the United States. This documentary takes an eye-opening look at this critical exception, zeroing in on pro-Israel public relations efforts within the U.S.

Land Without Bread

December 1933 •Spanish

An exploration —manipulated and staged— of life in Las Hurdes, in the province of Cáceres, in Extremadura, Spain, as it was in 1932. Insalubrity, misery and lack of opportunities provoke the emigration of young people and the solitude of those who remain in the desolation of one of the poorest and least developed Spanish regions at that time.

Railway Station

January 1980 •Polish

Kieslowski’s later film Dworzec (Station, 1980) portrays the atmosphere at Central Station in Warsaw after the rush hour.

The Nansen Passport

June 2016 •French

On July 5th, 1922, Norwegian explorer, scientist and diplomat Fridtjof Nansen creates a passport with which, between 1922 and 1945, he managed to protect the fundamental human rights as citizens of the world of thousands of people, famous and anonymous, who became stateless due to the tragic events that devastated Europe in the first quarter of the 20th century.

Our New President

January 2018 •English

The story of Donald Trump's election told entirely through Russian propaganda. By turns horrifying and hilarious, the film is a satirical portrait of Russian meddling in the 2016 election that reveals an empire of fake news and the tactics of modern day information warfare.

Le Parti du cinéma

February 2021 •French

Merchants of Doubt

November 2014 •English

Spin doctors spread misinformation and confusion among American citizens to delay progress on such important issues as global climate change.

Animated Soviet Propaganda

June 1997 •Russian

A landmark four disc Box Set - Unearthed from Moscow's legendary Soyuzmultfilm Studios, the 41 films in ANIMATED SOVIET PROPAGANDA span sixty years of Soviet history (1924 - 1984), and have never been available before in the U.S.

Victory Through Air Power

July 1943 •English

This is a unique film in Disney Production's history. This film is essentially a propaganda film selling Major Alexander de Seversky's theories about the practical uses of long range strategic bombing. Using a combination of animation humorously telling about the development of air warfare, the film switches to the Major illustrating his ideas could win the war for the allies.

The Atomic Cafe

March 1982 •English

A disturbing collection of 1940s and 1950s United States government-issued propaganda films designed to reassure Americans that the atomic bomb was not a threat to their safety.

American Mustang

November 2013 •English

Fueled by stunning footage, this stirring documentary considers wild horses' role in the American psyche and their dwindling numbers in today's West. In an artful blend of exquisite nature documentary and character-driven narrative, the majestic wild horses of the American West are revealed in stereoscopic 3D as never before. The wonder in a girl’s eye pulls us into the drama that unfolds on hundreds of millions of acres of public land. The battle lines have long been carved into the landscape, and the players are deeply entrenched. Yet as the subtle choreography that has evolved over thousands of years begins, we are captivated. The intricate dance between a man and a wild horse presents lessons for us all, even the battle-hardened special interest groups fighting for the place of the AMERICAN MUSTANG.

American Carnage

November 2017 •English

See how alt-right icon Steve Bannon’s years as a documentary filmmaker catapulted him to Breitbart News and the Trump White House.

Wounded at Kew

June 1915 •English

Battered, bandaged and playing croquet on crutches, wounded First World War soldiers get a break from the Western Front.

How to Use Dianetics

January 2009 •English

In this sprawling 33-part epic, Dianetics therapy and the effects it has on human minds are explored.

Caballos

Invalid date •Spanish

WMD: Weapons of Mass Deception

December 2004 •English

There were two wars in Iraq--a military assault and a media war. The former was well-covered; the latter was not. Until now... Independent filmmaker, Emmy-award winningTV journalist, author and media critic, Danny Schechter turns the cameras on the role of the media. His new film, WMD, is an outspoken assessment of how Pentagon propaganda and media complicity misled the American people...

Cinecittà, de Mussolini à la Dolce Vita

May 2021 •French

Cinecitta is today known as the center of the Italian film industry. But there is a dark past. The film city was solemnly inaugurated in 1937 by Mussolini. Here, propaganda films would be produced to strengthen the dictator's position.

Triumph of the Will

March 1935 •German

A showcase of German chancellor and Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler at the 1934 Nuremberg Rally.

The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl

September 1993 •German

This documentary recounts the life and work of one of most famous, and yet reviled, German film directors in history, Leni Riefenstahl. The film recounts the rise of her career from a dancer, to a movie actor to the most important film director in Nazi Germany who directed such famous propaganda films as Triumph of the Will and Olympiad. The film also explores her later activities after Nazi Germany's defeat in 1945 and her disgrace for being so associated with it which includes her amazingly active life over the age of 90.

Behind the Shield: The Power and Politics of the NFL

September 2022 •English

Celebrated author and Nation magazine sports editor Dave Zirin tackles the myth that the NFL was somehow free of politics before Colin Kaepernick and other Black NFL players took a knee.