Barbarossa

Set in 12th-century Italy, this historical drama follows the conflict between the German Emperor Frederick Barbarossa and the people of the North. The Emperor seeks to expand his control over the central and southern regions to recreate the empire of Charlemagne. Opposing him is Alberto da Giussano, a young man from Milan who leads a large force of men to fight for the freedom and independence of the northern territories. The story explores the clashes between the ruler and the commoner as they struggle for power and social standing.

Directed by Renzo Martinelli, this was the first of two films he directed, followed by The Day of the Siege: September Eleven 1683 in 2012. The production was supported by RAI, RAI Cinema, MiC, and Rai Fiction. The cast features Rutger Hauer as the Emperor, Raz Degan as Alberto da Giussano, and supporting roles played by Kasia Smutniak, Cécile Cassel, Ángela Molina, and F. Murray Abraham.

Produced with a budget of 9 million USD, the film received mixed reactions from viewers. On IMDb, it holds a rating of 4.4/10 based on 1,500 votes, while it has a slightly higher score of 5.2/10 on TMDB from 31 votes.