In 1919, amid the ruins of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a self-proclaimed, unstable yet fiery poet emerges in Fiume, seizes the city by military force, and declares himself its absolute ruler. Gabriele D’Annunzio’s bizarre short-lived reign is seen as a precursor to Italian fascism, and although the Italian state was forced to end the 16-month-long embarrassing episode, only a few years later, with Benito Mussolini’s rise to power, D’Annunzio would be enshrined as a national hero in Italy’s historical pantheon. In Igor Bezinović’s innovative, Rotterdam IFF - winning film, the citizens of Rijeka bring to life the tragicomic chapters of D’Annunzio’s grotesque 16-month rule.

Rotterdam International Film Festival 2025 - Tiger Award, FIPRESCI-prize

Igor Bezinović is a filmmaker born in Rijeka, Croatia. His films include The Blockade (2012, Oktavijan Award for Best Croatian Documentary), Veruda (2015, Oktavijan Award for Best Croatian Documentary), and A Brief Excursion (2017, Big Golden Arena Award for Best Croatian Feature), along with numerous short films. His work has been presented at international festivals including the International Film Festival Rotterdam, DOK Leipzig, IDFF Jihlava, CPH:DOX, and Kurzfilmtage Winterthur.

The Blockade (2012)
Veruda (2015)
A Brief Excursion (2017)

Director:  Igor Bezinović
Cast: Andrea Marsanich, Albano Vucetic, Tihomir Buterin
Cinematography: Gregor Božič
Screenwriter: Igor Bezinović
Producer: Vanja Jambrović, Tibor Keser, Erica Barbiani, Marina Gumzi
Editor: Hrvoslava Brkušić
Music: Hrvoje Nikšić, Giovanni Maier
Hungarian Distributor: magyarhangya
Colour: colour
min: 112 mins

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