Hitler's Big Fear: The Trial Against Degenerate Art

When art becomes a threat, who decides what survives?

In 1937, the Nazi regime launched its war on modernity, branding artists like Picasso, Chagall, Van Gogh, and Matisse as “degenerate”. Their works were banned, destroyed, or mocked in grotesque exhibitions, while Aryan ideals were glorified in state-sponsored shows. Framed by a major new exhibition at the Musée Picasso in Paris, the documentary revisits this ideological assault through rare footage, suppressed artworks, and the voices of curators and survivors. It broadens its scope to music, literature, and architecture, exposing how the Reich targeted all forms of dissenting expression. A timely meditation on repression, resistance, and the enduring fight for creative freedom.

Director

Simona Risi

Writers

Arianna Marelli, Didi Gnocchi, Sabina Fedeli

Released

May 2, 2026

Language

English