Fiume O Morte!

In 1919, outraged by the outcome of the Paris Peace Conference, which proposed handing the city of Fiume (now Rijeka, Croatia) to Yugoslavia, Italian poet, aristocrat, and army officer Gabriele D’Annunzio occupied the city. The ensuing 16-month occupation stands as one of history’s most peculiar experiments in governance. Igor Bezinović revisits this singular episode just over a century later, employing the help of Rijeka’s citizens in a bid to reclaim history. The enthralling hybrid documentary opens by comparing Rijeka’s past and present, before taking to the streets to question the city’s populations about their knowledge of the fascist leader. (Vanja Kaludjercic, International Film Festival Rotterdam)