- Igor Bezinović’s documentary-comedy hybrid "Fiume o morte!" examines the 1919 occupation of Rijeka by Gabriele D’Annunzio.
- The film uses archival footage and re-enactments to depict the birth of proto-fascist aesthetics and rituals.
- It highlights themes of political spectacle, the "aestheticization of politics," and the tragicomic nature of early fascist movements.
The 1919 Occupation
- Following WWI, poet and military leader Gabriele D’Annunzio occupied the Croatian city of Rijeka for 16 months.
- Dissatisfied with the Treaty of Versailles, he formed the "Italian Regency of Carnaro" in defiance of international agreements.
- His regime forcibly altered the city's demographics by bringing in thousands of Italian loyalists and engaged in racist violence against Allied soldiers.
- The occupation ended in January 1921 after the Kingdom of Italy and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes signed a pact to normalize control of the city.
Cinematic Approach and Themes
- The film utilizes 100 non-professional actors to reconstruct events based on extensive photographic and film archives.
- It characterizes D’Annunzio as a precursor to Benito Mussolini, tracing the origins of the Roman salute and mass-mobilization techniques.
- The director frames D’Annunzio's rule as a form of "political theater" rather than standard governance, mirroring Walter Benjamin's theory on the aestheticization of politics.
- By framing the history through a tragicomic lens, the film emphasizes the absurdity of the period while acknowledging its catastrophic historical consequences.
Recognition
- The film won 30 awards, including the European Film Academy's best documentary, the Tiger Award at Rotterdam, and six Golden Arena Awards at Pula.
- It was submitted as the Croatian candidate for the 2026 Academy Awards.