The Propagandist

Drawing on previously unpublished interviews, family footage, and propaganda material, this documentary chronicles the ascent and decline of Dutch filmmaker Jan Teunissen (1898-1975). During World War II, as head of the Department of Film for the Dutch Nazi Party and SS, Teunissen wielded immense control over the Dutch film industry, earning the monikers 'Film Tsar' and 'Dutch Leni Riefenstahl.' Already a prominent figure in cinema before the war, his motivations for aligning with the Nazi regime come under scrutiny. The narrative probes the blurred lines between documentary and propaganda, examining the role of propagandists in shaping images, stories, misinformation, and ideology. It delves into the depths of unchecked ambition and the potent, manipulative influence of film as a medium.