Rose Island
Directed by Sydney Sibilia
- comedy
- adventure
The story
In 1968, engineer Giorgio Rosa established the independent state called "The Isle of Roses" off the coast of Rimini, built on a platform outside the territorial waters, with Esperanto as the official language. The Italian authorities did not take it well because the micronation was seen as an expedient to not pay taxes on the revenues obtained thanks to the arrival of numerous tourists and curious people.
What it’s like
Warm, sun-bleached Adriatic light fills most of this film, with the open sea glittering behind whitewashed concrete platforms and the bright pastels of 1960s Italian summer clothes. Sydney Sibilia frames the action with energetic handheld movement and quick cuts, then slows into wide, patient shots of the platform at dusk, its lights reflecting on black water. The sound leans on jaunty period pop and playful brass, with the tide and gulls filling the quieter gaps. The vibe is brisk, sunny and gently subversive, a comedy with a wistful undertow about dreamers who build something bold and then watch the authorities close in. It suits a lazy weekend afternoon, a light evening with friends, or a relaxed watch when you want something hopeful with a touch of satire. The rhythm is lively and the tone stays mostly buoyant, though the emotional arc follows an idealistic engineer slowly learning that his utopia has few protectors. Violence is absent, and tension comes from bureaucratic standoffs and crowds rather than danger. It is a good fit for viewers who enjoy Italian political comedy, real-history stories and underdog romps with an easygoing heart.
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