'Rose Island' Review: Sydney Sibilia's masterclass sees Giorgia Rosa's micronation as an idea born out of love
Spoilers for 'Rose Island'
In the end, 'Rose Island' can be best described as a love story – or at least partly. While the story of the island is well-documented, director Sydney Sibilia puts the film across as a dramedy that induces a bittersweet feeling as the end credits roll. To add comedic touches to what could otherwise have been a somber film is a brilliant move and any doubts if the film would be a damp squib could well be erased. Giorgio Rosa was a rebel and an absolutely goofy, yet lovable one at that.
'Rose Island' was an idea that was born out of a conversation with Gabriella (Matilda De Angelis), the woman who could go on to become his wife. The film shows the couple had a relationship before it all went sour. When she poses an exasperated question of him possibly building a world, engineer Rosa takes it quite literally. The light bulb idea explodes when he realizes he could use his knowledge of engineering to construct a 400 square meter platform mounted on steel rods and that would be the start of a new micronation.
He has help. Leonardo Lidi as best bud Maurizio Orlandini, Violetta Zironi as Franca, Tom Wlaschiha as W.R. Neumann, and Alberto Astorri as Pietro Bernardini form a group and bring Rose Island to life. Each character comes with a brief origin story as well. Franca as the 19-year-old pregnant bartender, Neumann was a war deserter who is stripped of his German citizenship, and Pietro as a welder who survives a ravaging storm and becomes a de facto first citizen of the country as they call it.
Sibilia manages to weave these characters seamlessly into a funny tale of love, friendship, and open defiance to the authorities. And for those who could classify these characters as a bunch of rebels out to cause political unrest or trouble, note that their logic was simple— Rose Island was out of Italian territorial waters, and the country didn't have any form of control. However, the fact that the citizens flocking to experience bliss and freedom in a war-riddled era were still Italians and this made the government's reason to shut down the island more concrete.
The film is an enjoyable affair as it keeps the seriousness of the subject to a minimum. There's trouble brewing, but it doesn't change the fact that these characters know they're fighting a losing battle. However, they did what the powers that be couldn't— give the people what they want. And while the dream was indeed short-lived, despite the stamps, the passports, the currency, and the support, it was hard-hitting and impactful forcing the world to extend its boundaries on the sea.
'Rose Island' is a fun affair. And whether Sibilia meant it or not, it does serve partly as Rosa's biography, but laden with rich soundtracks that complement the writing. Some movies are best left without being intensely debated and critiqued. 'Rose Island' is one of them.
'Rose Island' is available for streaming on Netflix.