The citizens of Rijeka (formerly Fiume) reenact the occupation of their city led in 1919-1920 by Gabriele D’Annunzio, the Italian poet and dandy with protofascist tendencies. Past and present intertwine in this docufiction rich in archival footage and references that is at the same time an exercise in public history aimed at reinterpreting one of the most bizarre military occupations ever chronicled. Viewers learn about the filmmaking process as much as they do about D'Annunzio’s enterprise: snapshots of casting sessions, street interviews and rehearsals with the diverse, non-professional acting crew add another dimension to this film partially shot in the Fiuman dialect.

A collective emancipatory act of recreating history with the aim of demystifying D’Annunzio’s undertaking and exploring the roots of (contemporary) fascism, this playful and entertaining film transcends regional history and local patriotism to uncover tendencies that are equally present today both on and beyond the shores of the Adriatic.

Awards

Rotterdam IFF 2025 (Tiger Award & FIPRESCI Prize)

Pula FF 2025 (Best Director & other awards)

Golden Apricot FF Yerevan 2025 (Golden Apricot for Best Film)