Igor Bezinovic’s *Fiume o morte!* Wins FIPRESCI Documentary Grand Prix at Millennium Docs Against Gravity

On Thursday, the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) presented its Documentary Grand Prix to *Fiume o morte!*, directed by Igor Bezinovic. The award was announced during the opening ceremony of the 23rd Millennium Docs Against Gravity (MDAG) festival, Europe’s second-largest documentary film event. The prize recognizes the best documentary film of the past year as selected by a jury of FIPRESCI members. A public screening and a Q&A with Bezinovic are scheduled for Saturday, hosted by Paola Casella, Italian film critic and FIPRESCI vice-president.

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*Fiume o morte!* was filmed in 2019, exactly one century after the 1919 fascist occupation of the Adriatic city of Fiume by nationalist poet-militant Gabriele D’Annunzio. To interrogate that legacy, Bezinovic collaborated with roughly 300 local residents, staging a subversive, punk-style reenactment that the festival describes as a “dismantling of nationalist myths and exposure of the spectacle of political performativity.”

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• Igor Bezinovic – Director and co-creator of the reenactment.

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• Paola Casella – Host of the Q&A, vice-president of FIPRESCI.

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• FIPRESCI – International federation of film critics that convened the award jury.

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• MDAG – The organizing body of the Millennium Docs Against Gravity festival.

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• 300 local participants – Residents who performed in the film’s reenactment.

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• The film previously secured the European Film Award for Best European Documentary.

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• At the Rotterdam International Film Festival, it won both the Tiger Award (main competition) and the FIPRESCI Jury Prize.

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• Other nominees for the 2026 FIPRESCI Documentary Grand Prix included *2000 Meters to Andriivka* (Mstyslav Chernov), *Mr. Nobody Against Putin* (David Borenstein, Pavel Talanki), *Orwell: 2+2=5* (Raoul Peck), and *The Perfect Neighbor* (Geeta Gandbhir).

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• MDAG’s 23rd edition runs May 8-17 in seven Polish cities (Warsaw, Wroclaw, Gdynia, Poznan, Katowice, Lódz, Bydgoszcz) and online May 19-June 1.

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The festival’s press release emphasized that the Grand Prix “honors the best documentary film of the past year, selected by a jury of members of FIPRESCI.” MDAG also noted its status as an Academy Awards-qualifying festival for the Best Documentary Feature category and its role in recommending films for the European Film Awards.

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> “dismantles nationalist myths and exposes the spectacle of political performativity.” — Millennium Docs Against Gravity festival statement

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Bezinovic’s win highlights a growing appetite for documentaries that challenge entrenched historical narratives through participatory and avant-garde methods. The recognition by FIPRESCI, a globally respected critics’ body, positions *Fiume o morte!* for broader international exposure, potentially influencing award-season considerations and encouraging similar community-driven projects.

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The film’s public screening and director’s Q&A will occur on Saturday at MDAG venues. A separate three-member FIPRESCI jury will announce its own award winner on May 14. The festival’s online platform will remain active through June 1, extending access to international audiences.

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All source material presents a consistent account of the award and related events; no discrepancies or missing information were identified.

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