What Is Alexander the Great About?
The premise of Alexander the Great in 301 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In a rugged stretch of the Greek mountains, a remote agrarian settlement becomes the unlikely stage for a daring political gambit. The film opens with Alexander, a tribal warlord freshly liberated from prison, who seizes a group of British tourists and uses them as leverage to press the Athens‑installed government for amnesty for his band of freedom fighters. The stakes are set against a backdrop of crumbling authority, where the thin line between outlaw and revolutionary is constantly tested.
_ Alexander_ is driven by a fierce conviction that the land, long held under an antiquated system of private ownership, belongs to the people who toil upon it. His charisma and hardened resolve draw a rag‑tag group of comrades who share his vision of collective empowerment, yet the weight of their past and the reality of power make every decision feel like a precarious balancing act. As he navigates the expectations of his followers and the demands of his captives, the audience senses a tension between idealism and the harsh mechanics of survival.
The hostages—British aristocrats whose presence threatens to upend the fragile experiment—are juxtaposed with a community of villagers whose lives have long been dictated by tradition and scarcity. Adding further complexity are the wandering Italian anarchists, represented by Norman Mozzato and Laura De Marchi, whose own brand of radical philosophy intersects with Alexander’s aspirations, creating a volatile mix of camaraderie and ideological friction.
The tone of the film is both stark and lyrical, weaving together sweeping mountainous vistas with intimate, smoke‑filled interiors where whispered debates echo louder than gunfire. A muted, almost reverent soundtrack underscores the uneasy alliance between visionaries and the ordinary folk who endure their promises. The story invites viewers to ponder the fragile architecture of collective power, leaving the outcome of this high‑stakes standoff tantalizingly open to interpretation.
What Happens in Alexander the Great?
The complete story of Alexander the Great, from the first scene to the last, in 253 words (about 1 minute). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 3 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Based on the 1870 Dilesi Massacre, the film follows Alexandros, Omero Antonutti the bandit leader newly freed from prison, as he and his companions seize a group of British aristocrats. They bring their captives to an agrarian community in the mountains that Alexandros, the villagers, and a later-arriving group of Italian anarchists Norman Mozzato and Laura De Marchi are trying to build on a system of public ownership and egalitarian beliefs. The arc centers on a clash between revolutionary ideals and the harsh realities of power, as the captors seek to reshape land and society in ways that challenge established authority and property rights.
The captors press the aristocrats to return the land to the villagers, but their demands falter when soldiers tighten their surrounding of the settlement. Tensions flare as the anarchists, at odds with Alexandros, attempt to depart, only to be cut down by the soldiers. The soldiers also kill Alexandros’s original comrades, leaving the group’s fragile experiment in danger of collapse. In the ensuing violence, Alexandros retaliates by killing the hostages, and the villagers respond in kind by murdering Alexandros themselves — a moment some scholars note as a theophagic act, or god-eating, underscoring the ritualized brutality of the encounter.
The collapse of the uprising leaves only a child as a survivor, a stark reminder of the human cost at the heart of this experiment in collective power. The film closes with a sweeping shot of Athens, accompanied by a voice-over that declares: > This is how Alexander entered the cities…
Alexander the Great Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
12 key events in the order they happen, from “Alexander the Great is freed from prison” to “Ending montage: Athens and the prologue voiceover”. 12 events name a place, across 4 locations.
- 1
Alexander the Great is freed from prison
The film opens with Alexander the Great, the bandits' leader, being released from prison. His freedom reestablishes his control over the gang and sets the stage for the ensuing kidnapping. This moment marks the ascent of a ruthless figure whose actions will drive the Dilesi massacre context.
When:1870 Where:Prison
- 2
Kidnapping of British aristocrats
Alexander and his gang abduct a group of British aristocrats and hold them for ransom. The kidnapping anchors the central crisis of the film and foreshadows the violence to come. They begin moving the hostages toward a dramatic showdown in the mountains.
When:1870 Where:Dilesi region
- 3
Hostages brought to the mountain commune
The aristocrats are brought to a remote agrarian community in the mountains that aims to practice public ownership and egalitarianism. The settlers envision a new social order, while the hostages become leverage for demanding concessions. The scene sets up the experiment at the heart of the story.
When:1870 Where:Agrarian mountain community
- 4
Arrival of Italian anarchists
Italian anarchists arrive later in the film, adding a radical layer to the settlement's ideology. Their presence creates new alliances and tensions with Alexander and the villagers. The arrival intensifies the political stakes of the hostage drama.
When:1870 Where:Agrarian mountain community
- 5
Differences between Alexander and the anarchists
Differences in ideology and approach generate friction between Alexander's band and the anarchists. The two sides clash over means and ends, threatening the cohesion of the hostages' captors. The factional rift foreshadows future violence.
When:1870s Where:Agrarian mountain community
- 6
Anarchists attempt to leave
The anarchists attempt to leave the settlement, seeking to abandon the project. Before they can depart, soldiers attack and kill them, removing one of the key ideological voices.
When:1870s Where:Agrarian mountain community
- 7
Soldiers surround the settlement
Government troops encircle the mountain commune, tightening the noose around the hostages and the settlers. The siege heightens fear and desperation on all sides. The outcome of the standoff remains unresolved as the tension escalates.
When:1870s Where:Agrarian mountain community
- 8
Soldiers kill Alexander's comrades
During the siege, soldiers execute Alexander's original comrades, decimating his inner circle. The loss weakens the bandits' leadership and destabilizes the operation. The killing marks a turning point in the power dynamics inside the settlement.
When:1870s Where:Agrarian mountain community
- 9
Alexander kills the hostages
Alexander takes the drastic step of murdering the hostages he had kidnapped, turning the captivity into a massacre. The act reveals his ruthlessness and shatters any remaining hesitation to meet violence with violence. The tragedy accelerates the collapse of the mountain project.
When:1870s Where:Agrarian mountain community
- 10
Villagers murder Alexander
The villagers retaliate against their former leader by murdering Alexander in an act described as theophagia, or god-eating. The community's vengeance ends his reign and signals a brutal retribution against their former leadership. The event closes the inner conflict and seals the fate of the uprising.
When:1870s Where:Agrarian mountain community
- 11
Only survivor is a child
With the bloodshed complete, a lone child survives the carnage, the final witness to the collapse of the commune. The survivor embodies the human cost of the revolt and the cycle of violence it ends with. The scene leaves a haunting note about memory and loss.
When:1870s Where:Agrarian mountain community
- 12
Ending montage: Athens and the prologue voiceover
The camera pans over Athens as a voice-over states, This is how Alexander entered the cities, linking the mountain tragedy to the city’s larger history. The ending ties the uprising to urban memory and national narrative. The final image situates the tale within a broader historical frame.
When:End of film Where:Athens
Who Are the Main Characters in Alexander the Great?
5 characters, among them Alexander the Great (Alexandros), Italian Anarchist (Norman Mozzato) and Italian Anarchist (Laura De Marchi): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
- AT
Alexander the Great (Alexandros)
Played by Omero Antonutti
A charismatic bandit leader who frees from prison and mobilizes a group to seize land for a communal, egalitarian project. He embodies a radical critique of aristocratic landownership, yet his methods invite deadly conflict with soldiers and rival ideologies. His arc culminates in a violent downfall at the hands of the villagers.
- 🔥 Rebel
- 🧭 Ideology
- ⚔️ Violence
- IA
Italian Anarchist (Norman Mozzato)
Played by Norman Mozzato
An arriving anarchist whose ideology aligns with communal equality but whose methods and alliances create friction with Alexander. He provides an outsider critique of the villagers’ attempts at public ownership and highlights tensions within revolutionary circles.
- 🗺️ Ideology
- 🤝 Alliance
- 🔥 Rebellion
- IA
Italian Anarchist (Laura De Marchi)
Played by Laura De Marchi
A second Italian anarchist whose presence expands the political spectrum within the settlement. She contributes to debates about ownership, freedom, and the costs of insurgent action in a precarious micro-society.
- 🗺️ Ideology
- 🤝 Alliance
- 🔥 Rebellion
- AD
Alexandros' Daughter
Played by Eva Kotamanidou
The daughter of Alexandros, who survives the massacre and serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of the conflict. Her presence anchors the personal stakes of the villagers’ experiment and the violence that unfolds.
- 👶 Child
- 🧭 Innocence
- VM
Village Man
Played by Thanos Grammenos
A key figure among the villagers, he represents the everyday participant in the agrarian experiment. He embodies the drive for communal living and faces the external threats that test the settlement's survival.
- 🧭 Community
- 🤝 Solidarity
Where and When Is Alexander the Great Set?
Alexander the Great is set in Athens, Greece, Dilesi and Greece (1870s). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
1870s
The events unfold in 1870s Greece, a period marked by social unrest and shifting political loyalties. The Dilesi Massacre of 1870 anchors the plot, with bandits kidnapping aristocrats and testing state power. The rural commune and its clashes with soldiers reflect broader tensions between insurgent movements and authorities in late 19th-century Greece.
Where
Athens, Greece, Dilesi, Greece
The story moves from the capital Athens to a remote mountainous agrarian commune built by the group led by Alexander. The mountains provide a rugged, isolated setting ideal for experiments in public ownership and egalitarian life. Athens appears as a distant, panoramic frame, signaling the city as a reminder of civilization beyond the rural rebellion.
- 🏛️ City backdrop
- ⛰️ Mountainous setting
- 🗺️ Greek landscape
What Are the Themes of Alexander the Great?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Collective Ownership, Violence & Conflict and Ritual & Theophagia.
-
01
Collective Ownership
The film centers on a community experiment built on public ownership and egalitarian beliefs. Villagers and bandits attempt to reorganize land and resources away from aristocratic control, showcasing a dream of shared wealth. Conflicts with external forces reveal the fragility of such utopian ideals.
-
02
Violence & Conflict
Tensions between Alexander's band, arriving anarchists, villagers, and soldiers erupt into lethal violence. Hostage-taking, executions, and battlefield confrontations demonstrate how quickly idealism can spiral into bloodshed. The climactic killings and surrounding military crackdown highlight the brutality of the era.
-
03
Ritual & Theophagia
The narrative includes a ritualistic element described as theophagia, or god-eating, marking the severity of vendetta and communal ritual in violent upheaval. The villagers' actions resemble a liturgical culmination of revenge and collective identity. The concept underscores the film's exploration of belief, sacrifice, and power.
What Kind of Film Is Alexander the Great?
Bleak in tone, with steady pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Bleak
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Bleak
A harsh and politically charged drama that unfolds with relentless tension, chronicling the desperate struggle of a radical community and culminating in a devastatingly bleak conclusion of failure and death.
- grim
- tense
- oppressive
- tragic
- desperate
- ideological
- political struggle
- utopian ideals
- betrayal
- kidnapping
Content notes: mass killing, hostage situation, political execution, child endangerment.
Quiz
How well do you remember Alexander the Great? Test yourself on the story.
