F for Fake

F for Fake
Black and white image of Orson Welles, dark hat covering his brow and his dark beard both blending into the dark background
US theatrical release poster
Directed by
Written by
Produced by
  • François Reichenbach
  • Dominique Antoine
  • Richard Drewett
Starring
Cinematography
Edited by
Music byMichel Legrand
Distributed byPlanfilm
Specialty Films
Release date
  • 1973 (1973) (San Sebastián Film Festival)
Running time
88 minutes
CountriesFrance
Iran
West Germany
LanguageEnglish
Box office182,857 admissions (France)[1]

F for Fake (French: Vérités et mensonges, "Truths and lies"; Spanish: Fraude,[2] "Fraud") is a 1973 docudrama film co-written, directed by, and starring Orson Welles who worked on the film alongside François Reichenbach, Oja Kodar, and Gary Graver. Initially released in 1974, it focuses on Elmyr de Hory's recounting of his career as a professional art forger; de Hory's story serves as the backdrop for a meandering investigation of the natures of authorship and authenticity, as well as the basis of the value of art. Far from serving as a traditional documentary on de Hory, the film also incorporates Welles's companion Oja Kodar, hoax biographer Clifford Irving and Orson Welles as himself. F for Fake is sometimes considered an example of a film essay.

In addition to the 88-minute film, in 1976, Welles also shot and edited a self-contained nine-minute short film as a "trailer", almost entirely composed of original material not found in the main film itself.

  1. ^ Orson Welles box office information in France at Box Office Story
  2. ^ Khaldi, Tarik (14 July 2021). "Fraude (F for Fake): Orson Welles trata de discernir lo verdadero de lo falso". Cannes Film Festival. Retrieved 26 December 2022.