The Autobiography of Nicolae Ceausescu

"A tour de force of found-footage moviemaking.… Even for those with only the barest knowledge of this particular history, the movie is fascinating."—Artforum

One of the major discoveries of the 2010 Cannes Film Festival, this one-of-a-kind compilation film creates a portrait of Nicolae Ceaucescu, the megalomaniacal dictator who led Romania from 1965 to 1985. Crafted entirely from official state propaganda footage presented as Ceaucescu's own memories, the film's breathtaking montage offers a chilling, fascinating, and humorous "autobiography" of the infamous ruler. Without using narration, the film underscores the damning (if white-washed) evidence of the state-sanction footage with impressive editing and sound design. (180 mins., 35mm)