The Banca Italiana di Sconto (BIS) was a leading Italian bank that went bust in 1921. One firm hit by its collapse was the giant film production conglomerate Unione Cinematografica Italiana (UCI), which itself folded a few years later.^[1] Another victim was Banca per l'Africa Orientale (BAO) whose formation in 1917 BIS had promoted. BAO failed in 1923.