I Watched FIORE 2!

To sword enthusiasts like you and me, filmmaker Alberto Mattea is probably best known for his celebrated, award-winning 2022 short film Fiore.

I have written about the long-awaited sequel in previous newsletters. Thanks to Alberto's generosity, I had the privilege of being among the chosen few who have already enjoyed a pre-release screening.

The film picks up exactly where the first instalment left off: at an inn where Fiore has just made the acquaintance of Galeazzo da Mantova, a prominent late-medieval condottiero (mercenary captain) who would become one of Fiore's most famous students.

In FIORE 2 – La Lince e il Biscione, we learn the true nature of Galeazzo's proposal — and what eventually comes of it.

Once again, Alberto Mattea and his team bring the medieval world to life in a compelling and wonderfully vivid way, offering a pleasing contrast to the dreary, grey, mud-covered Hollywood cliché.

Meticulously reconstructed props and richly detailed sets come alive in vibrant colours and beautifully composed lighting, as though they had sprung straight from a painting of the Quattrocento.

The way the film condenses the complexities of Italian political intrigue and deadly rivalries into just half an hour is brilliant and captivating.

Alberto Mattea also composed the music, and his gripping soundtrack perfectly complements the wonderful cinematography.

And there are plenty of Easter eggs for history buffs and modern students of Fiore's teachings to discover! Keep your eyes open for little details that might otherwise go unnoticed — such as a preparatory sketch for an illustration in his famous fencing treatise, casually lying on his table.

And yes — there's arms and armour, too!

Don't miss the official release this winter.

Nerdy Viking Sword Talk

A while ago, Dan Farrand, host of the Nordic Mythology Podcast, invited me to join him and Norwegian archaeologist Margarethe Hagvar for an hour on the show.

The topic was — not surprisingly — Viking swords and how they might have been used in combat.

If this sounds like your kind of thing, you can find the episode on YouTube.

Recently on My Patreon: The Earliest Metal Weapon

In my newsletters, I usually share my public Patreon posts. However, some of you may not realise that there is much more content over there, which supporters either get to see first or which remains permanently exclusive to patrons.

A few days ago, I shared an exclusive video clip showing two remarkable Bronze Age Stabdolche (literally “staff daggers”) that I had the opportunity to handle in the conservation department of the State Museum of Prehistory in Halle in January 2025.

I made an interesting observation concerning their design that supports the interpretation of these mysterious elite objects as functional weapons, rather than merely status symbols or ritual objects.

I also discuss these precursors of the sword with Professor Harald Meller in an episode of our upcoming six-part video series.

Post-production is nearing completion, and I am confident that this winter will be full of splendid blade videos — from prehistory to the days of Fiore!

⚔️ Swords up! ⚔️

Roland

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