Movies in Wartime: Projections of America is the story of a team of idealistic filmmakers who, during the darkest days of World War II, 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, and at its center were 26 short documentaries about American life targeted at the newly liberated populations.

The gorgeously crafted films were idealized versions of what America could be, created by politically engaged filmmakers who wanted to fundamentally change America itself while fighting tyranny abroad. The project was headed up by the Academy® Award-winning Hollywood screenwriter Robert Riskin.

More than a film about filmmaking, Movies in Wartime is a story about the audacity of trying to build a better world in the midst of the most devastating conflict in human history. The emotionally charged story is told through rare and evocative archival materials, including pristine new transfers of the “Projections” films themselves, interwoven with interviews with filmmakers, audience members and film critics. Passionate letters between Robert Riskin and actress Fay Wray, read by actors, frame this story of war, idealism and cinema in an unforgettable, personal narrative.