Since childhood, Archduke Maximilian, brother of Emperor Franz Josef I., has wished for nothing more than to emerge from his sibling's shadow. His dream finally comes true when he becomes Emperor of Mexico. However, the dream unexpectedly and rapidly becomes a nightmare: Maximilian believes he is welcome in Mexico, but the opposite is the case. He is finally captured by his adversary, Benito Juarez, and sentenced to death. Maximilian's dreams of becoming a glorious ruler die with him, cut down by a firing squad.

To mark the 150. anniversary of Maximilian's ascent to the throne in 2014, the documentary will examine the fate of the contradictory and complex Habsburg and investigate the circumstances that led to his tragic failure from various perspectives.