Rimini (2022)
Ulrich Seidl's unflinching portrait of a faded pop star adrift in an off-season Italian resort, confronting the ruins of fame and fatherhood.
Rimini - Movie Information
- Original Title: Rimini
- Release Year: 2022
- Directed by: Ulrich Seidl
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Drama, Music
- Runtime: 1h 55m
- Original Language: German
- Spoken Languages: German, Italian, English
- Release Date (Theatrical): April 8, 2022 (Austria - 16), October 6, 2022 (Germany - 12), November 23, 2022 (France), September 1, 2022 (Italy), March 24, 2023 (Spain)
- Alternative Titles: Ρίμινι (GR), Böse Spiele (DE), Ріміні (UA), Rímini (MX), Wicked Games (US), Римини (RU), 廢老浪蕩兒 (HK), 情聖沒有淡季 (TW)
- Production Companies: Ulrich Seidl Filmproduktion
- Production Countries: Austria, France, Germany
Rimini - Plot
Richie Bravo, once upon a time a successful pop star, chases after his faded fame in wintry Rimini. Trapped between permanent intoxication and concerts for busloads of tourists, his world starts to collapse when his adult daughter breaks into his life.
Rimini - Trailer
Watch the official trailer and get a first look at Richie Bravo's bleak winter world:
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Rimini - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Ulrich Seidl
Main Cast
- Michael Thomas
- Tessa Göttlicher
- Hans-Michael Rehberg
- Inge Maux
- Claudia Martini
- Georg Friedrich
- Natalija Baranova
- Moumen Abd El Rahman
- Silvana Sansoni
- Rosa Schmidl
Writers
- Ulrich Seidl
- Veronika Franz
Producers
- Ulrich Seidl
- Georg Aschauer
Rimini - FAQs
What is Rimini about?
Rimini follows Richie Bravo, a once-popular Austrian pop star now reduced to performing for package tourists in the off-season Italian resort town of Rimini. Caught between alcohol, casual sex, and faded nostalgia, his precarious routine collapses when his estranged adult daughter suddenly arrives demanding answers.
Is Rimini part of a larger Ulrich Seidl project?
Yes — Rimini is one half of a diptych. Seidl shot it simultaneously with Sparta, a companion film following Richie's brother Ewald. Both films share characters and were conceived as a pair, though each stands completely on its own as an independent work.
Where can you stream Rimini?
You can stream Rimini on MUBI (subscription) or watch it for free on Kanopy, which is available through many public libraries and universities. It's worth checking your local library card — Kanopy access is often free with no extra cost.
Does Richie Bravo exchange sex for money in the film?
Yes, and it's one of the film's most unsettling threads. Richie regularly sleeps with older female fans in exchange for cash or gifts, blurring the line between charm and exploitation. Seidl presents these encounters with his trademark unflinching, non-judgmental gaze, leaving audiences to draw their own conclusions.
Who are the main actors in Rimini?
Michael Thomas leads the film as the washed-up crooner Richie Bravo, with Tessa Göttlicher playing his daughter Tessa. Hans-Michael Rehberg appears as Richie's ailing father, and Georg Friedrich — a regular Seidl collaborator — plays the brother Ewald, whose story continues in the companion film Sparta.
What does Richie's daughter want from him?
Tessa arrives in Rimini demanding financial support and, more painfully, a reckoning with a past Richie has spent years avoiding. Her presence forces the film's emotional core into focus — it's less about pop stardom and more about paternal failure, guilt, and the wreckage left behind by a self-absorbed life.
How was Rimini received by critics?
Critics responded warmly to Rimini, praising Seidl's precise, deadpan direction and Michael Thomas's committed central performance. The film premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2022, where it was selected for the main competition. Reviewers highlighted its dark humor and its unflinching portrait of masculine decline.
What films are similar to Rimini?
If Rimini resonates with you, try Still Crazy (1998) for another wry look at faded rock glory, or Man Push Cart (2006) for a similarly bleak portrait of a fallen performer. Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) offers a more mainstream take on music and identity, while Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970) shares Rimini's provocative edge.
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