Freemasonry and cinema: Giorgio Sangiorgi explores over a century of history, symbolism and representation in Trieste
From the origins of cinema to political propaganda, from Italian comedy to animated films: a journey through more than 350 films to distinguish historical Freemasonry from the legends and interpretations that have shaped its image in the public imagination.
How has cinema portrayed Freemasonry throughout its history? And to what extent have cinematic representations helped shape the public perception of an institution often associated with mystery, secrecy and conspiracy theories? These were the questions explored during the conference “Freemasonry and Cinema: Towards a Filmography”, organised by the Manlio Cecovini Study Society, held on Friday 16 October at the Association’s headquarters at Viale Miramare 23 in Trieste.
The event featured Giorgio Sangiorgi, a film scholar and critic, who took the audience on a journey through more than 350 films, from the earliest days of cinema to contemporary productions. His research aims to lay the foundations for a systematic filmography examining the relationship between cinema and Freemasonry, a resource that does not currently exist, distinguishing historically documented references from symbolic interpretations and fictional reconstructions.
The need to distinguish between these different levels of representation was central to the opening part of the presentation. By cross-referencing film catalogues and sources, Sangiorgi identified approximately 67 films directly related to historical Freemasonry, 108 featuring occasional references, and more than 170 works associated with legends, secret societies and esoteric interpretations. This classification highlights how cinema has frequently blurred the boundaries between Freemasonry and unrelated traditions, from the Knights Templar and the Holy Grail to occultism, Satanism and conspiracy theories. Such associations, the speaker emphasised, have contributed to widespread confusion surrounding the public perception of Freemasonry.
The historical journey began with silent cinema and The Capture of Rome (La presa di Roma, 1905) by Filoteo Alberini, one of the earliest Italian film productions, which also received support from Freemasonry. Sangiorgi then examined early American portrayals of initiation rituals, often presented as caricatures in which symbols and ceremonies became vehicles for comedy and satire.
Considerable attention was devoted to the relationship between Freemasonry, history and political power. Through excerpts from films such as Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather Part III and God’s Bankers – The Calvi Affair (I banchieri di Dio – Il caso Calvi), the speaker explored how cinema has depicted the connections between finance, politics, the Vatican and Masonic organisations, focusing particularly on the Banco Ambrosiano affair and the P2 lodge. Another example came from the television drama Tecnica di un colpo di Stato: la marcia su Roma, which also reconstructs the meeting between Benito Mussolini and Raoul Palermi, Grand Master of the Piazza del Gesù Masonic organisation, in the days preceding the March on Rome.
The conference also examined cinema’s role as a propaganda tool during the Second World War. Sangiorgi contrasted anti-Masonic productions from Vichy France, which portrayed lodges as dangerous organisations involved in conspiracies, with the American short film Don't Be a Sucker, which denounced discriminatory ideologies and hate speech. These two markedly different portrayals demonstrated how references to Freemasonry could be used to serve specific political purposes.
Moving from history to fiction, the speaker also analysed films in which Masonic symbols are intertwined with legendary narratives or mysterious atmospheres, such as The Man Who Would Be King and Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut. In these cases, Sangiorgi observed, it is particularly important to distinguish the cinematic use of rituals, passwords and symbols from their actual connection to Masonic tradition.
Comedy and satire also featured prominently, with the famous Masonic initiation sequence in Mario Monicelli’s An Average Little Man (Un borghese piccolo piccolo), starring Alberto Sordi, alongside examples from comedy films and animation. From The Simpsons, with its episode featuring the fictional Order of the Stonecutters, to Laurel and Hardy in Sons of the Desert, Sangiorgi demonstrated how initiatory societies and their rituals have also provided a means of exploring, through humour, the dynamics of belonging, privilege and social relationships.
Another important theme to emerge from the conference was the different public perception of Freemasonry in the United States and Italy. In the American context, Sangiorgi explained, Masonic lodges are generally recognised also for their charitable, philanthropic and mutual support activities. In Italy, by contrast, Freemasonry’s public image has been more heavily influenced by historical, political and judicial events, from its relationship with the Catholic Church to the P2 scandal. These cultural differences are also reflected in cinematic representations.
The concluding discussion with the audience reaffirmed the importance of rigorous documentary research, particularly when cinema addresses controversial historical events. This underpins the value of Sangiorgi’s proposed project: to produce a filmography that goes beyond a simple list of titles and becomes a scholarly reference resource, capable of reconstructing the context, sources and Masonic references of each work, while distinguishing documented facts from interpretations and legends.
The project remains a work in progress, but it could provide scholars and film enthusiasts with new tools to understand not only the relationship between Freemasonry and cinema, but also how the silver screen has helped shape and transform public perceptions of Freemasonry over more than a century.
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How has cinema portrayed Freemasonry throughout its history? And to what extent have cinematic representations helped shape the public perception of an institution often associated with mystery, secrecy and conspiracy theories? These were the questions explored during the conference “Freemasonry and Cinema: Towards a Filmography”, organised by the Manlio Cecovini Study Society, held on Friday 16 October at the Association’s headquarters at Viale Miramare 23 in Trieste.
The event featured Giorgio Sangiorgi, a film scholar and critic, who took the audience on a journey through more than 350 films, from the earliest days of cinema to contemporary productions. His research aims to lay the foundations for a systematic filmography examining the relationship between cinema and Freemasonry, a resource that does not currently exist, distinguishing historically documented references from symbolic interpretations and fictional reconstructions.
The need to distinguish between these different levels of representation was central to the opening part of the presentation. By cross-referencing film catalogues and sources, Sangiorgi identified approximately 67 films directly related to historical Freemasonry, 108 featuring occasional references, and more than 170 works associated with legends, secret societies and esoteric interpretations. This classification highlights how cinema has frequently blurred the boundaries between Freemasonry and unrelated traditions, from the Knights Templar and the Holy Grail to occultism, Satanism and conspiracy theories. Such associations, the speaker emphasised, have contributed to widespread confusion surrounding the public perception of Freemasonry.
The historical journey began with silent cinema and The Capture of Rome (La presa di Roma, 1905) by Filoteo Alberini, one of the earliest Italian film productions, which also received support from Freemasonry. Sangiorgi then examined early American portrayals of initiation rituals, often presented as caricatures in which symbols and ceremonies became vehicles for comedy and satire.
Considerable attention was devoted to the relationship between Freemasonry, history and political power. Through excerpts from films such as Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather Part III and God’s Bankers – The Calvi Affair (I banchieri di Dio – Il caso Calvi), the speaker explored how cinema has depicted the connections between finance, politics, the Vatican and Masonic organisations, focusing particularly on the Banco Ambrosiano affair and the P2 lodge. Another example came from the television drama Tecnica di un colpo di Stato: la marcia su Roma, which also reconstructs the meeting between Benito Mussolini and Raoul Palermi, Grand Master of the Piazza del Gesù Masonic organisation, in the days preceding the March on Rome.
The conference also examined cinema’s role as a propaganda tool during the Second World War. Sangiorgi contrasted anti-Masonic productions from Vichy France, which portrayed lodges as dangerous organisations involved in conspiracies, with the American short film Don't Be a Sucker, which denounced discriminatory ideologies and hate speech. These two markedly different portrayals demonstrated how references to Freemasonry could be used to serve specific political purposes.
Moving from history to fiction, the speaker also analysed films in which Masonic symbols are intertwined with legendary narratives or mysterious atmospheres, such as The Man Who Would Be King and Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut. In these cases, Sangiorgi observed, it is particularly important to distinguish the cinematic use of rituals, passwords and symbols from their actual connection to Masonic tradition.
Comedy and satire also featured prominently, with the famous Masonic initiation sequence in Mario Monicelli’s An Average Little Man (Un borghese piccolo piccolo), starring Alberto Sordi, alongside examples from comedy films and animation. From The Simpsons, with its episode featuring the fictional Order of the Stonecutters, to Laurel and Hardy in Sons of the Desert, Sangiorgi demonstrated how initiatory societies and their rituals have also provided a means of exploring, through humour, the dynamics of belonging, privilege and social relationships.
Another important theme to emerge from the conference was the different public perception of Freemasonry in the United States and Italy. In the American context, Sangiorgi explained, Masonic lodges are generally recognised also for their charitable, philanthropic and mutual support activities. In Italy, by contrast, Freemasonry’s public image has been more heavily influenced by historical, political and judicial events, from its relationship with the Catholic Church to the P2 scandal. These cultural differences are also reflected in cinematic representations.
The concluding discussion with the audience reaffirmed the importance of rigorous documentary research, particularly when cinema addresses controversial historical events. This underpins the value of Sangiorgi’s proposed project: to produce a filmography that goes beyond a simple list of titles and becomes a scholarly reference resource, capable of reconstructing the context, sources and Masonic references of each work, while distinguishing documented facts from interpretations and legends.
The project remains a work in progress, but it could provide scholars and film enthusiasts with new tools to understand not only the relationship between Freemasonry and cinema, but also how the silver screen has helped shape and transform public perceptions of Freemasonry over more than a century.
WATCH THE GALLERY
