Nothing adds intrigue to a film’s opening more than the phrase “Based on a true story”. While we may be aware that events are dramatized, the dialogue is mostly made up, timelines are condensed, and directors have taken liberties, films based on true stories provide us with a unique entertainment experience. True stories transport us to places in the past in a real and visceral way. They remind us that the events we’re about to see unfold on screen really did happen. And while we are immersed, our skepticism and our awe have to walk hand-in-hand. From historical epics like Ghandi, Schindler’s list, and Lawrence of Arabia, to modern day crime dramas like Goodfellas and Spotlight, some of the most powerful and celebrated films have been based on true events.