Croatian filmmaker Igor Bezinović has created a compelling documentary that blends dark comedy with historical reconstruction, focusing on one of the 20th century's most bizarre political episodes in his hometown.
The Strange Tale of Fiume's Takeover
Fiume o Morte! examines the extraordinary events of 1919 when Italian poet and aristocrat Gabriele D'Annunzio led a ragtag group of 186 mercenaries to seize control of the Adriatic port city now known as Rijeka. Following World War I, the city with its significant Italian population was unexpectedly placed under control of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes rather than being absorbed into Italy as many had anticipated.
D'Annunzio, described as a hothead aristocrat and cocaine addict, staged what the film characterizes as a 'sub-Napoleonic landing' in Fiume. He established the city as a pro-Italian city state under his absolute control, attracting discontented and unemployed men from Italy to serve as his soldiers.
Bezinović's Innovative Approach
The director employs a unique cinematic technique, using various local residents of modern-day Rijeka to portray D'Annunzio in spirited re-enactments that mimic historical photographs and archive footage. One particularly telling casting choice features a middle-aged former military officer who served as a veteran of the Croatian war of independence playing the proto-fascist leader.
This creative decision subtly suggests that no nation holds a monopoly on nationalism or fascist tendencies. Bezinović's approach transforms the documentary into what critics have called 'a proto-fascist Passport to Pimlico', blending comic opera elements with chilling historical parallels.
Historical Echoes and Consequences
D'Annunzio's mini-realm persisted until 1920, when Italy itself forced the charismatic leader to abandon his project. During his brief rule, he developed mass marching displays and spectacles that created the illusion of widespread popular support.
When plebiscites revealed that the non-Italian majority opposed his rule, the votes were simply scrapped. The regime turned increasingly violent, using a maritime incident involving a Croat attack on an Italian ship in Split as pretext for brutal assaults on non-Italian businesses in Fiume.
This violence served as a grim precursor to Kristallnacht and other fascist atrocities. The film notes that young Benito Mussolini greatly admired D'Annunzio and later adopted his followers' song 'Giovinezza' as the official fascist anthem.
International celebrities including Marconi and Toscanini reportedly expressed admiration for D'Annunzio, their visits documented within Bezinović's film alongside the darker aspects of this forgotten historical episode.
Fiume o Morte! opens at the ICA in London on November 21, with wider UK cinema release following on November 28.
