Strategic leadership perception in the space race: A research on the use of cinema as propaganda

Leadership is a multidimensional phenomenon shaped by individuals' ability to set direction and exert influence across social, political, and cultural structures. Beyond its function in organizational settings, leadership plays a decisive role in shaping global power dynamics. Strategic leadership, in particular, comes to the forefront during periods of crisis or international competition through its emphasis on long-term vision, change management, and the ability to shape public perception. In this context, propaganda constitutes a vital component of strategic leadership as a mass influence mechanism. Cinema, with its powerful visual narrative and broad accessibility, emerges as an effective propaganda tool for shaping perceptions of leadership. This study examines how the concept of strategic leadership is represented through cinema in the political, ideological, and cultural context of the space race, and how cinema functions as a tool of propaganda. The research analyzes space-themed films produced by the United States, the USSR/Russia, China, and Europe, focusing on how these films construct leadership perceptions and influence public psychology. The study also explores the relationship between the ideological function of cinema and strategic objectives. Qualitative research methods were employed in the study. Selected films were analyzed using content analysis, and representations of leadership were interpreted within their historical, cultural, and ideological contexts. The aim of this research is to reveal the role of cinema as a propaganda tool for strategic leadership in the context of the space race and to evaluate the broader effects of leadership imagery on mass perception. Keywords: Strategic Leadership, Space Race, Propaganda, Cinema, Leadership Perception