For the first time in Estonia, one of cinema history’s most grandiose works reaches the screen.

Historical portrait of Ludwig, king of Bavaria, from his crowning in 1864 until his death in 1886, as a romantic hero. Fan of Richard Wagner, betrayed by him, in love with his cousin Elisabeth of Austria, abandoned by her, tormented by his homosexuality, he will little by little slip towards madness.

Filmed on location in authentic interiors and exteriors, the work sees the filmmaker once again explore what led to the 20th century’s greatest upheaval: the rise of Nazism.

The film brings Visconti’s German Trilogy to its climax, with its preceding parts, “The Damned” and “Death in Venice”, also featured in the PÖFF programme.

This year marks the 120th anniversary of the birth and 50th anniversary of the death of Luchino Visconti.