A short that bears the signature of the great director Gabriele Muccino to tell the beauties of Calabria. An important tourism revitalization project for this magnificent land, which is fortunate to have the sea and the snow-capped mountains of the Apennines and is rich in natural treasures, many still little known. The region will therefore be the protagonist of the new work of this undisputed master of Italian cinema. At the behest of Muccino was the president of the Calabria Region, Jole Santelli, which on Friday 3 July met with the press in Favella della Corte (Corigliano-Rossano), to explain the reasons for this choice. Also present were the protagonists of the short, Raoul Bova with Calabrian origins, and his partner Rocio Muñoz Morales.
Muccino: "A Calabria beyond all imagination"
Santelli explains that she wanted Muccino because “he is the director of love and if he can't make the people of Calabria fall in love with him, nobody can. This short is not just tourism, but it is promotion of Calabria". The director says he was struck by the beauty of this region. “What I was told and what Calabria offers is beyond my imagination.
This region he has perhaps been able to tell too little of oneself compared to others. I am happy to be here and to be the intermediary of the beauties of this region together with Raoul and Rocio ”. Muccino will set out to discover this land and will do it in first person: “I have heard stories and seen resources that are truly surprising”.
In the short, the ways of citrus fruits
It will take two weeks of shooting starting July 4th for this auteur short. Muccino will tell the citrus region. It will be a real journey, in which Raul Bova will accompany his Spanish companion to show her the face of one Calabria different and less known. The short, lasting seven minutes, will be filmed among the scents and colors of Calabrian citrus groves. Filming will start from Corigliano Rossano to land in Tropea, passing through Lake Tarsia, San Nicola Arcella, Ricadi and the Bivongi waterfalls.
There will be clementine, cultivated in the region since the 30s, whose rows are now part of the landscape. The cedar, described in the Bible as the sacred fruit of the most beautiful, fragrant and eternal tree of the Riviera dei cedri. Another protagonist will be the bergamot of Reggio, the “green gold” of this land, much loved by the perfume industry. Without forgetting the famous Lemon; of Rocca Imperiale. Through these four precious symbols of the Mediterranean the tale will follow a emotional journey with suggestive images that will make you discover the crystal clear waters, the magnificent villages, the wild nature, the most enchanting alleys of Calabria.
Discovering Calabria
For Raoul Bova “it is an honor and a dream to be able to do something in Calabria, for Calabria and for the many Calabrians who are all over the world and they have contributed a lot in various sectors ". Actress Rocío Muñoz Morales spoke about her relationship with Calabria through her husband's stories: “It is the first time that I am in this land with Raoul and what I have left is the energy that emanates. Raoul always talks to me about this land with a smile ".
Filming it all will then be the expert hand of Muccino who is an internationally renowned director. Muccino has made highly successful films such as The last Kiss (2001) o Ricordati di me (2003). The director then landed in Hollywood where he directed La ricerca della felicità (2006) and Seven souls (2008), both starring Will Smith. Back in Italy he shot Summer on (2016) and At home everyone is fine (2018). The latest film, which hit the box office, is The most beautiful years with an exceptional cast of actors: Pierfrancesco Favino, Micaela Ramazzotti, Kim Rossi Stuart e Claudio Santamaria with the singer's film debut Emma Brown.
Santelli: "Muccino will make you fall in love with our land"
“Calabria is not black and white, but a multitude of colors. This is why I chose Muccino who is the director of love and I hope he will make everyone fall in love with Calabria ”, wrote Santelli on Facebook.
The President of the Region underlined that “this is not a tourism project, but a path oriented towards one new promotion of Calabria which can and must be the protagonist through its essence made of colors, flavors and aromas. It's only the beginning. A nice start ". Now it's your turn to fall in love with Calabria.