Freemasonry and cinema: in Trieste, Giorgio Sangiorgi explores over 350 films through history, symbolism and the collective imagination
16 October 2026
From silent films to the comedies of the 1970s, from depictions of historical events to propaganda and parody: how has cinema portrayed Freemasonry, and to what extent has it helped shape the collective perception, whether positive or negative, of one of the most talked-about yet least understood initiatory societies of the modern era? This complex and still relatively unexplored subject will be the focus of the conference “Freemasonry and Cinema: Towards a Filmography”, the latest event organised by the Manlio Cecovini Study Society, taking place on Friday 16 October at 6.00 pm at the Association’s headquarters, Viale Miramare 23, Trieste.
The conference will be led by Giorgio Sangiorgi, a film scholar and critic, who will guide the audience through research based on an analysis of more than 350 films in which Freemasonry appears, either prominently or through subtle references. This extensive and diverse body of films reveals a wide range of representations: some rooted in historical reality, others built around concepts of initiation, mystery, secrecy and symbolism, and still others shaped by interpretations, exaggerations and distortions that have influenced public perceptions of Freemasonry over time.
The conference will offer an overview spanning different periods, genres and narrative approaches: from Freemasonry in early cinema to the portrayal of Freemasons in accounts of real or legendary events; from Mussolini’s view of Freemasonry to the anti-Masonic propaganda of the Vichy government; and from caricatures of initiation rituals in Italian-style comedy to the appearance of Masonic lodges in comedy films.
The aim is to provide an initial, structured overview of a subject that, despite the wealth of available cinematic material, remains largely unexplored. This is also the idea behind the conference’s title: to lay the foundations for a filmography dedicated to the relationship between cinema and Freemasonry, which does not currently exist in a systematic form, and which would allow for a more comprehensive understanding of how the silver screen has portrayed the world of Freemasonry.
Giorgio Sangiorgi graduated in Classics from the Catholic University of Milan and previously taught Italian and History in secondary schools. He is currently the coordinator and lecturer of the Cinema and History course organised by Casa Matha in Ravenna. A member of the Centre for Military History and Geopolitical Studies in Bologna and the Giovanni Giolitti Association for Historical Studies in Cavour, he has participated in numerous conferences and undertaken extensive research, focusing particularly on the relationship between cinema and history.
His research includes studies on cinematic representations of the Risorgimento, the First World War, the March on Rome, the Italian Social Republic, the 1946 referendum and the House of Savoy. A further study on the portrayal of Umberto II in Italian cinema is currently awaiting publication.
Admission is free, subject to availability.
The conference will be led by Giorgio Sangiorgi, a film scholar and critic, who will guide the audience through research based on an analysis of more than 350 films in which Freemasonry appears, either prominently or through subtle references. This extensive and diverse body of films reveals a wide range of representations: some rooted in historical reality, others built around concepts of initiation, mystery, secrecy and symbolism, and still others shaped by interpretations, exaggerations and distortions that have influenced public perceptions of Freemasonry over time.
The conference will offer an overview spanning different periods, genres and narrative approaches: from Freemasonry in early cinema to the portrayal of Freemasons in accounts of real or legendary events; from Mussolini’s view of Freemasonry to the anti-Masonic propaganda of the Vichy government; and from caricatures of initiation rituals in Italian-style comedy to the appearance of Masonic lodges in comedy films.
The aim is to provide an initial, structured overview of a subject that, despite the wealth of available cinematic material, remains largely unexplored. This is also the idea behind the conference’s title: to lay the foundations for a filmography dedicated to the relationship between cinema and Freemasonry, which does not currently exist in a systematic form, and which would allow for a more comprehensive understanding of how the silver screen has portrayed the world of Freemasonry.
Giorgio Sangiorgi graduated in Classics from the Catholic University of Milan and previously taught Italian and History in secondary schools. He is currently the coordinator and lecturer of the Cinema and History course organised by Casa Matha in Ravenna. A member of the Centre for Military History and Geopolitical Studies in Bologna and the Giovanni Giolitti Association for Historical Studies in Cavour, he has participated in numerous conferences and undertaken extensive research, focusing particularly on the relationship between cinema and history.
His research includes studies on cinematic representations of the Risorgimento, the First World War, the March on Rome, the Italian Social Republic, the 1946 referendum and the House of Savoy. A further study on the portrayal of Umberto II in Italian cinema is currently awaiting publication.
Admission is free, subject to availability.
