Some call it “the factory of dreams”. Federico Fellini described it as his “ideal place, the cosmic void before the Big Bang”. Through moments of glory, international fame and deep crisis, Cinecittà–the City of Italian Cinema–has shaped the perception of Italy around the world. And like many other modern cultural institutions in this country, its birth is inextricably linked to the political agenda of the fascist regime. 

It’s the mid-1930s in Italy. Benito Mussolini has been ruling the nation for over a decade. He aims to create an Italian colonial empire and in 1935 invades Ethiopia, a move that results in international alienation and pushes the country even closer to Nazi Germany. At the time, in every Italian movie theater, newsreels–the cinegiornali–present Mussolini as a strong, modern leader, exalting his persona and the fascist agenda.