The Childhood of a Leader is a 2015 historical coming-of-age psychological drama film co-written, co-produced and directed by Brady Corbet in his directorial debut. It is loosely based on Jean-Paul Sartre's short story of the same name, published in 1939 in a collection entitled The Wall. Corbet co-wrote the screenplay with his partner Mona Fastvold.

An international co-production between the United States, the United Kingdom, Hungary, Sweden, France, Canada and Belgium, the film incorporates themes of abuse and chronicles the childhood of a fascist leader in the period immediately following World War I. Production began in early 2015, in Budapest, (Hungary). The film had its world premiere in competition in the Horizon section at the 72nd Venice International Film Festival on 5 September 2015, and won two awards at the festival, Best Debut film and Best Director.