The Childhood of a Leader

A child's angelic face conceals a budding sociopath in the audacious, senses-shattering feature debut from actor Brady Corbet.

A powerhouse international cast led by Robert Pattinson and Bérénice Bejo (The Artist) headlines this dark domestic nightmare. Set amidst the turmoil of World War I and its aftermath, it follows the young son of an American diplomat living in France as he learns to manipulate the adults around him-a monstrous coming of age that ominously parallels the rising tide of Fascism in Europe. A stylistically fearless tour-de-force, The Childhood of a Leader reaches fever-pitch delirium thanks to ravishing cinematography and a thunderous score by legendary, boundary-pushing musician Scott Walker.

BEST DIRECTOR: Venice Film Festival
BEST FILM: Venice Film Festival
BEST DIRECTOR: Lisbon & Estoril Film Festival
The International Golden Tulip Competition Special Jury Prize: Istanbul Film Festival

"With his unusually accomplished directorial debut Childhood of a Leader, Corbet delivers a strange and startling film that reflects the unique trajectory of his career, as well as the influence of the iconoclastic directors with whom he's already worked." - IndieWire

"FIVE STARS. A masterpiece." - Examiner

"The Childhood of a Leader is a dark, enigmatic piece of work that hovers between visionary greatness and petty domestic triviality. Corbet's inaugural stint behind the camera marks a stunning debut." - CineVue

"Like nothing you've seen before." - Screen Daily

"The Childhood of a Leader is as relentlessly sombre and compelling as the film's remarkable, full-volume orchestral soundtrack by musician's musician Scott Walker." - Screen International

"A mind-blowing directorial debut." - Jonathan Demme