The film is loosely based on Steven Spielberg's childhood in post-World War II Arizona, following a young boy named Sammy Fabelman from age seven to eighteen as he uncovers a family secret and learns how movies can reveal the truth about ourselves and others.

The Fabelmans
In 1950s Arizona, a young boy's dream of making films is derailed by a shocking family revelation, as he discovers the transformative power of cinema to expose the truth.