F for Fake
Vérités et Mensonges
“A magician is just an actor playing the part of a magician.”
Synopsis
Documents the lives of infamous fakers Elmyr de Hory and Clifford Irving. De Hory, who later committed suicide to avoid more prison time, made his name by selling forged works of art by painters like Picasso and Matisse. Irving was infamous for writing a fake autobiography of Howard Hughes. Welles moves between documentary and fiction as he examines the fundamental elements of fraud and the people who commit fraud at the expense of others.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
F For Fake ≣ 1973 ≣ Trailer
Type: Trailer • Published 2019-06-28
Top Cast
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Orson Welles
Self
Oja Kodar
The Girl
Elmyr de Hory
Self
Clifford Irving
Self
Laurence Harvey
Self
Edith Irving
Self
David Walsh
Self
Paul Stewart
Self
Richard Wilson
Self
Joseph Cotten
Self
Howard Hughes
Self (archive footage)
Richard Drewett
Self
Alexander Welles
Self
Gary Graver
Self
Andrés Vicente Gómez
Self
Julio Palinkas
Self
Christian Odasso
Self
Françoise Widhoff
Self
Release History & Theatrical Window
New York Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
January 7, 1977
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Orson Welles, François Reichenbach
- Screenplay & Story
- Orson Welles, Oja Kodar, François Reichenbach
- Original Score
- Michel Legrand
- Original Title
- Vérités et Mensonges
- Country of Origin
- France, Germany, Iran
- Spoken Languages
- English, French, Spanish
- Runtime
- 1h 29m
- Production Studios
- SACI, Les Films de l'Astrophore, Janus Film und Fernsehen
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Orson Welles, François Reichenbach
Orson Welles, Oja Kodar, François Reichenbach
Michel Legrand
François Reichenbach, Gary Graver, Christian Odasso
Marie-Sophie Dubus, Dominique Engerer, Orson Welles
Dominique Antoine, François Reichenbach
Department Leadership Roster
Orson Welles
Director
Dominique Antoine
Producer
Orson Welles
Writer
Marie-Sophie Dubus
Editor
Dominique Engerer
Editor
François Reichenbach
Director of Photography
Michel Legrand
Original Music Composer
Orson Welles
Editor
François Reichenbach
Writer
François Reichenbach
Director
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG: Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
International Certification Matrix
Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for F for Fake.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring F for Fake.
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (All editions 2003-2024). A cumulative list including films subsequently removed in later editions. Totaling 1,260 films as of Nov 2024. 《1001部死前必看的电影》（2003-2024 全版本累积版）： 包含自2003年首版至2024年11月德语版修订的所有影片。即使在后期版本中被剔除的电影也予以保留。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#019] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#418] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-19 07:37:48 UTC+8)*
Letterboxd's Top 250 Documentary Films
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TSPDT - 1000 Greatest Films
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Criterion Collection
The Complete Criterion Collection. The Criterion Collection is a video distribution company that sells 'important classic and contemporary films' in editions that offer the highest technical quality. This list contains only the featured films released on DVD, BluRay and 4K Criterion releases — no supplements are included. Organized by spine number with the newest releases first. CC标准收藏完整收录版： 收录标准收藏（Criterion Collection）发行的重要经典及当代电影。仅包含正片（涵盖 DVD、蓝光及 4K 版本），已排除花絮补充内容。按 CC 发行编号倒序排列（最新发行在前）。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#214] Mangrove (2020) • [#215] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#216] Red, White and Blue (2020) • [#217] Alex Wheatle (2020) • [#486] Eight Hours Don’t Make a Day (1972) • [#647] Dekalog (1989) • [#944] World on a Wire (1973) • [#1187] Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) • [#1338] Fanny and Alexander (1984) • [#1341] Tanner '88 (1988) • [#1371] Scenes from a Marriage (1973) *注：以下影片因 TMDB 尚未收录，暂不在此片单中展示：* • [#531] First (2012) • [#1699] Ulysse (1983) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-11 07:39:08 UTC+8)*
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Frequently Asked Questions About F for Fake
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is F for Fake about?
Documents the lives of infamous fakers Elmyr de Hory and Clifford Irving. De Hory, who later committed suicide to avoid more prison time, made his name by selling forged works of art by painters like Picasso and Matisse. Irving was infamous for writing a fake autobiography of Howard Hughes. Welles moves between documentary and fiction as he examines the fundamental elements of fraud and the people who commit fraud at the expense of others.
Who directed F for Fake?
F for Fake was directed by Orson Welles, François Reichenbach.
Who stars in F for Fake?
The principal cast of F for Fake includes Orson Welles, Oja Kodar, Elmyr de Hory, Clifford Irving, Laurence Harvey.
When was F for Fake released and how long is it?
F for Fake was released in 1973 with a total runtime of 1h 29m.
Who composed the musical score for F for Fake?
The original motion picture soundtrack for F for Fake was composed by Michel Legrand.
What is the age rating and content advisory for F for Fake?
F for Fake holds official age classifications: US: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.).