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Movies in Wartime: Projections of America

About the Show

During the darkest hour of World War II, a team of idealistic film-makers hoped the power of the movies could reshape the world. As Allied forces liberated Western Europe, the military campaign was accompanied by a vast propaganda effort that centered on 26 short documentaries about American life targeted at the newly liberated populations. The 'Projections of America' films presented American stories of cowboys and oilmen, farmers and window washers, immigrants and school children, all capturing both the optimism and the messiness of American democracy. These gorgeously crafted films were idealised versions of what America could be, created by politically engaged film-makers who, while fighting tyranny abroad, also wanted to fundamentally change America itself. The emotionally charged story is told through rare and evocative archival materials, interwoven with interviews with film-makers, audience members and film critics.