Synopsis

Nicolas III, King of the Belgians, suffers a gunshot wound to the ear during an unfortunate incident in Sarajevo. He wakes up in a sanatorium on a Croatian island that once was Tito’s renowned summer residence. The King’s entourage tries in vain to protect him from the news that the recent implosion of their kingdom has sparked the collapse of the European Union.

The fragile King demands to return home at once, but instead he is condemned to a strict regime of rest and rehabilitation by the authoritarian sanatorium director, Dr. Otto Kroll. A delegation from Vienna arrives headed by the distinguished Dr. Ilse von Stroheim, architect of a nationalist Nova Europa. She bears the thunderous news that the last King of the Belgians will become the first Emperor of Europe.

The King, fed up with others determining his destiny, decides to take matters into his own hands.

DRAMATIC COMEDY – 98’ – COLOUR – DCP – ENGLISH, DUTCH, FRENCH, GERMAN

A Belgian-Dutch-Croatian-Bulgarian coproduction supported by the Council of Europe

Statement

The Barefoot Emperor is an unconventional sequel to King of the Belgians, a mockumentary road movie that struck a chord around the world. In the previous film our awkward King (Peter Van den Begin) spiralled incognito through the Balkans on a journey of self-discovery. In light of recent developments in Europe, the King’s odyssey began to feel to us like unfinished business, thus The Barefoot Emperor was born.

Whereas the previous film was a road trip, this is rather a trip without a road. The film begins with a bullet in Sarajevo, which abruptly halts the King’s journey home. He awakens in a sanatorium on Brijuni, the Croatian island where Tito hosted hundreds of public figures, including monarchs, presidents and movie stars. While recovering from the wound to his ear, our confused King is confronted with the ugly reality of a Europe that is turning inwards and backwards. Worse still, he is slated to become Emperor of this dubious ‘Nova Europa’. New characters appear, including an eccentric Lady Liz (Geraldine Chaplin) and a deranged Dr. Kroll (Udo Kier). The historical references are multiple. The mockery is steady. The absurdity is credible. The intention is to evoke unease and laughter while weaving together layers of history. Nonetheless, at the heart of it all remains our vulnerable and unpredictable King.

The storm gathering over the island is that of rising nationalism that just might unleash another dark chapter of history. Why is fear so easily awakened? Why is hate sparked so swiftly? Why do people forget the lessons of the past so readily? And how courageous is our royal protagonist? Remembering the impact of her father's film The Great Dictator eighty years ago, Geraldine Chaplin is still convinced that mankind's best weapon is humour. We share her conviction.