Inspired by the work of the same name by Cesare Pavese, it is written and directed by Laura Lucchetti. Presented at the Locarno Film Festival, it starred young actors such as Virgin Cassel, daughter of Vincent Cassel and Monica Bellucci, in her first film, Yile Yard Vianello, as the protagonist, but Nicolas Maupasimmediately after the success of Mare Fuori and then ALessandro Piavani, Adrian DeWitte, Cosima Centurioni, Gabriele Graham Gasco and Piedmontese Anna Bellato and Andrea Bosca.
The action takes place in Turin in the 1930s, when the threat of World War II was already looming. It tells the story of Ginia, a sixteen-year-old girl who has just moved to the city from the countryside. He has a future ahead of him that seems to have endless possibilities. In love with a young artist, she is fascinated by 19-year-old Amelia and her bohemian lifestyle. The film is a portrait of a country girl who gets lost in a city that is both dangerous and seductive.
Filming lasted about seven weeks and took place between the lakes of Avigliana and the Mandria Park, as well as Carignano. In the city they took place in Vanquilla, San Salvario, Reggio Parco, Via Roma.
“A certain Turin with its courtyards and porches is practically a partner in the film,” they comment. Paolo Manera and Beatriz Borgia, director and president respectively of the Turin Piemonte Film Commission, which supported the making of the film.
“We believed in the project from the very beginning. At first we supported it from our development fund and up to the presentation at the Locarno Film Festival. It is a hymn to all Piedmont.”
A summer full of filming for Piedmont
And for Piedmont, it was truly a “beautiful summer” for cinema. In fact, there was a lot of filming in the city, which from June to September captured the streets, squares, streets, as well as the historical sites of Turin.
“During this last period before the summer holidays, two films were shot in Turin: The Opera!, Davide Livermore and Paolo Jep Cuccotribute to opera, with an important presence including Vincent Cassel. The filming involved Regio, Mauto and, above all, the new Elios Studio, a studio opened in Mirafiori Sud, truly futuristic, with a large digital screen on which very special shots are taken,” explains Manera.
“It’s one of the most advanced technology systems internationally.” adds Borgia.
Title filmed along with the first Iranian film. Milad Tangshir, Anywhere, anytime, about the riders who work in Turin.
Among the shots that revived the Turin summer were shots for the TV series Goffredo Mameli, My Brilliant Friend, Lydia the Poet, Fireworks, Seinel-Anima.
And continues into September. “Almost twenty titles are planned, this will be a record autumn,” Manera and Borgia comment. From ‘Block 181’ season 2 to ‘Giacomo Leopardi’, international series will also be filmed.”
Economic implications for territory and sector
In addition to the immediate economic consequences for the territory, the production taking place throughout the region is a driving force for all Piedmontese film workers. “The full employment of all the personalities who work on the set continues. There is a change of generations, the employment of Piedmontese actors and actresses is increasing, which we are very happy about. Today we are reaping the fruits of the work of the past, but we maintain a promising vision of the future.”
“This is a confirmation of a period of great activity and expansion for us,” adds Borgia, “even those guidelines that we have given ourselves: quality, internationality, responsibility. We are attracting an increasingly international audience with directors from all countries bringing messages.”
Flywheel “Fast and Furious”
The colossal “Fast and the Furious”, filmed in the areas of Turin, from Via Roma to Via Fiume, in this sense gave the city great fame. “This has taken us internationally as a place where complex productions can be done,” they explain. “We have a supply chain to host this type of production. We look forward to more. An example is the film about Enzo Ferrari, who chose Piedmont to shoot various scenes.”
“The important thing about international productions is that they came because the workers were there. For us, it was a bit like winning the Olympics or Eurovision, we managed to get them when we had a clearly articulated and fast system. Now there are rumors and we want Turin to become an open-air Cinecitta that works well and gives continuity to young people.”
Six titles in Venice
The Venice Film Festival will open on August 30 and Piedmont will be in attendance. “This is a quality response. We’ve never had so many titles, six this year, between feature films and documentaries.” Among them stands out directorial Ljubo George Wrights. “He left Piedmont and returned to Piedmont with a project that he followed for a long time.”
Is 2023 a record year for film commissions?
Overall, 2022 has been a record year for film commissions, but 2023 appears to be no exception. “I did some calculations and I’m very optimistic,” says Manera. I think this is a very good signal for the city and for the entire region. These industries bring positive returns to the immediate economy, including hotels, homes and restaurants, as well as a visibility effect, a wide impact on the territory.
“We need high-quality productions that give a real view of the area and our workers,” adds Borgia. Only then can we say that we have established ourselves in a certain way. Being a strategic partner of the San Paolo Foundation is proof that we are capable of generating economic resources.”