112 minutes / Color/B&W
Croatian; Italian / English subtitles
Release: 2025
Copyright: 2024
In September 1919, Italian poet Gabriele D'Annunzio led a force of irregulars in an invasion of the town of Fiume, in what is today Croatia. Was he an egotist with dreams of heading his own state? A utopian with a strong nationalist bent? Or a fascist who cared little for the locals and helped pave the way for Mussolini’s rule?
In FIUME O MORTE! (“Fiume or Death!”), Croatian filmmaker Igor Bezinović tells the story of D’Annunzio’s escapade in the most entertaining way possible, using brashly anachronistic re-enactments featuring residents of modern-day Rijeka — the city which includes what used to be Fiume.
Seven different bald men play D’Annunzio, with Bezinović announcing each cast change. Where some filmmakers strive for visual authenticity, Bezinović revels in anachronism and buffonery. D’Annunzio drives to Fiume in a gleaming modern car, a rock band serenading him from the side of the road. Bezinović regularly announces the true identities of participants (including the whippet playing D’Annunzio’s dog) and tells us what’s about to happen next. A passerby on the street berates a young man playing one of D’Annunzio’s soldiers and tells him his shoes are all wrong.
Meticulously researched, FIUME O MORTE! brilliantly blends archival footage and photography with a rotating cast of informal re-enactors, drawing the past into the present. It also captures the essential puffery and absurdity of the fascist project at a time when authoritarianism is on the rise around the world.
“A novel approach to historical drama, realized with daring, skill, and sardonic wit.” —Richard Brody, The New Yorker
“We were impressed by the film’s playful use of archival footage and reenactment to throw light on a too-little-known episode of European history. Whilst full of dry, self-reflexive humour, the film manages to use its creative exploration of history to provide in-depth commentary on worrying contemporary political developments, specifically the rise of the global far-right. We applaud the film’s effortless combination of experimentation and accessibility – not least due to its excellent editing – which serves to convey a timely warning against the formation of authoritarianism.” —Jury Statement, FIPRESCI Prize at International Film Festival Rotterdam 2025
“With Fiume o morte!, Bezinović masterfully deploys playful irreverence to transform rigorous research into a living, shared resource for solidarity in action.” —Sight and Sound (BFI)
“Compelling and very amusing — a hybrid experiment akin to what U.S. docmaker Robert Greene achieved in his “Bisbee ’17,” pushed to more farcical ends. But substantial ideas underpin all the flippant historical cosplay, as Bezinović — himself a Croatian — ponders D’Annunzio’s reputation on either side of the Italo-Croatian border, and in turn the long-term societal effects of failed despots being either romanticized or forgotten entirely.” —Variety
“In its bold storytelling, sharp critique, and innovative approach, FIUME O MORTE! transcends expectations. It’s more than a historical narrative—it’s a provocative exploration of how the past informs the present and a reminder of the power of storytelling to reshape perspectives. Bezinović has created a work that challenges audiences to confront uncomfortable truths about history while inspiring them to imagine new possibilities for the future. The film’s dynamic blend of style, substance, and relevance ensures it will leave a lasting impression.” —Overly Honest Reviews
“Fiume o morte! is a slick piece of filmmaking that reminds us that, although the items of “legacy” of a certain period might not always be on display, the dark or crazy past is never too far away.” —Cineuropa
Select Accolades
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