Southern Italy’s cultural heritage is a magnet for film directors.

King Frederick II and his caravans, Roman poet Horace, Roberto Benigni, the Coppolas, Levi, the cast & crew of James Bond 007 “No Time To Die, and countless other creatives have all flocked to southern Italy. 

This past summer while we were restoring art in the studio and perfuming our noses with Murgian herbs as we ventured out with the shepherds, our field schools and towns of focus Matera and Gravina, found dual roles as protagonists in stories featuring modern-day action heroes and literary classics. Immediately recognizable is the light and stone architecture of the region, spectacularly spreads out across the screen in soon to be released films. The ancient preserved heritage hosts seemingly impossible James Bond stunts and car chases through its labyrinth of narrow streets and church steeples, and the iconic masserie is cast as a workshop where Roberto Benigni carves Pinocchio the mischievous marionette, an follows his adventures in the Pugilan fields. The locations and maybe even some faces will be easily identified by our art restoration course and food culture workshop participants and entice others yet to come.  

Watch the trailer:

Pinocchio, director Matteo Garrone

No Time To Die – James bond 007,  director Cary Joji Fukunaga