THEItaly is a country that can boast beautiful places and cities, which are fascinating not only for the thousands of tourists who visit the Beautiful country, but also for the great Hollywood productions, who in Italy decide to shoot some scenes for their films. One of the most significant cases concerns the saga of James Bond. After Cortina in the 1981 (For your eyes only), Venezia in the 2006 (Casino Royale) to Siena and Lake Garda in the 2008 (Quantum of Solance), agent 007 arrived in Southern Italy for his latest effort "No Time to Die"(2021). This is the twenty-fifth title of the saga, directed by Cary Fukunaga, with Daniel Craig as the protagonist James Bond (for the last time). Part of the film is in fact set in the city of Civita Lucania, with many scenes shot in the gorgeous Matera (in 2019).
No Time to Die: where Civita Lucana is located
In "No Time to Die", James Bond it is found at Civita Lucania together with his partner Madeleine Swann (interpreted by Léa Seydoux). Here the two are saved from an ambush by the Spectre, which leads to a long chase aboard the Aston Martin DB5 by Bond. Civita Lucana though does not exist in reality. It is a fictional city created by the mix of some cities and places of Campania, Basilicata e Puglia. The enchanting Matera it was only one of the Italian locations of the film. The other shots were taken at the railway station of Sapri (Salerno), al Midnight channel di Maratea and bridge Aqueduct Madonna della Stella di Gravina in Puglia. In addition to the scenes shot outside for the chases, a fake English cemetery and hotel room.
In the footsteps of James Bond in Matera
To celebrate the release of “No Time to Die”, the hotel chain Matera Collection organize a dedicated tour called "In the footsteps of James Bond in Matera". It is a path to discover all the places of the City of Stones where the scenes were shot of the last 007. This includes the most significant places in the city, such as the marvelous panoramic terrace of Piazza Duomo, with a view of the Sassi or the stairway of Via Muro, overlooking the Sasso Caveoso.
“No Time to Die” is just the latest of the many famous blockbusters shot in City of Stones. Among the other films shot in Matera, there are some that have made the history of cinema, such as "The Gospel according to Matthew"of Pier Paolo Pasolini (1964), "The man of the stars"of Giuseppe Tornatore (1995), "Christ's passion"of Mel Gibson (2004), "Ben Hur"of Timur Bekmambetov (2016) and "Wonder Woman"of Patty Jenkins, with Gal Gadot as the superheroine DC (2017). With this final chapter of the James Bond saga, Matera once again confirms itself as an excellent set for great cinema. What will be the next film set in the Lucanian capital?
Photo source: © James Bond 007 official Facebook page
