Italy through the Red Lens: Italian Politics and Society in Communist Propaganda Films (1946–1979), Gianluca Fantoni (2021).

This review examines *Italy through the Red Lens: Italian Politics and Society in Communist Propaganda Films (1946–1979)*, a scholarly monograph analyzing the Italian Communist Party's (PCI) use of cinema as a political tool. The book explores how the PCI employed film production and distribution to influence public opinion, mobilize support, and respond to political crises from post-World War II through the 1970s, highlighting shifts in style and messaging in reaction to internal and external challenges such as censorship, the New Left movement, and rising neo-fascism. Drawing on archival research and party publications, the study situates PCI cinema as a reactive medium aimed at reinforcing party ideology and adapting to social changes, including feminist critiques. The work contributes to historical and film studies by framing these films as purposeful political instruments rather than purely aesthetic objects.