It was in the last months of 2006 that the mega film production started ” Ink heart “ he moved with his troops between the scenarios of Albenga, Alassio, Laigueglia and the old village rebuilt for the occasion by the scenographers of hand crossbow. The last big move of the management of the Ligurian site, which brought to the territory all the organizational machinery of the area New line cinema, fresh off the worldwide hit “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. hero Brendan Frasercelebrated today for the Oscars, but also actors of the caliber Helen Mirren, Paul Bettany with his wife Jennifer Connelly, Andy Serkis Et Jim Broadbent. Directed by veteran Iain Softley, photographed by expert ( once more Oscar winner) Roger Pratt.
Best Actor Oscar for ” The whale “ He was then in great shape, before the depression and memory loss that would have forced him to leave the premises. According to the novel by Cornelia FunkGerman writer, who made the Imperia region his home for years, ‘Inkheart’ was filmed for all location shots Western Liguriaespecially that of Savona, with incursions into Argentina Valley and display He walked inside in the region of Cuneo. The actual vision of the film is like a taste of the beautiful landscapes with different segments of the territory.
Today Brendan Fraser Enjoying renewed vigor and artistic hype, he wins the coveted statuette for playing an obese, lonely English teacher looking for a chance to reconnect with his teenage daughter. A “rebirth” for the 54-year-old actor, who arrived in Savonai He was already known for the comedy “Georges of the Jungle”, a parody of Tarzan, followed by the trilogy “The Mummy”.
Alexandra BergeroSite Director and General Manager « Commission of the film of the Italian Riviera Alps of the Sea »played the crucial role in the making of the film on location.
“It was June 2006 when they contacted me and came here because they ‘just wanted’ places to film what they call it. registration; the rest would have been shot entirely in the studio in England, as one usually does for fantasy films – he says – so they should have only stayed with us for a week. After traveling all over Italy looking for a village suitable for their needs, they came back here and following visiting all the Ligurian villages they chose Balestrino because it was the least restored”.
Continue Alexandra Bergero“At this point, I was able to convince production designer John Beard to shoot in the actual locations and not just in the studio as they wanted. Balestrino was rebuilt at Pinewood in the studio just to complete the special effects. They also brought our plants, our reddish earth, the resin casts of our old walls to Britain… and even some local extras. The result of this personal relational work is that the weeks have turned into a good 8, so that corresponds to 25,000 hotel nights for a crew of 400 from September to November”.
“So – add those location manager – They wanted to go to Switzerland to shoot the first snow scenes, but we convinced them to move to Entracque because the province of Cuneo was much closer than Switzerland for their 40 trucks. Laigueglia was chosen and used for the sets even though the director wanted to shoot in Portofino. In Albenga, for the old sidewalk in the historic center, which was wet because of the filming and made everyone slip, the production solved the problem by having the whole team put on non-slip soles by the local shoemaker… For hundreds of people”.
Everyone who personally followed the filming of “Inkheart” in Balestrino and Baia del Sole remembers Brendan Fraser very friendly and helpful. “He loves truffles, he likes them a lot – he reveals Alexandra Bergero – One evening, given the strict requirements of the production, we managed, among very few close friends, in the kitchen of the Villa Pergola to dine a little out of time with Marcella Demartini, the owner of the villa at the actress era. However, Paul Bettany and his wife loved charcuterie and returned to the province of Cuneo for many months.
Films, commercials, documentaries:Italy Commission du film Riviera Alpi del Mare brought major productions to the Savona region, and “Heart of Ink” might have become an appetizing opportunity for film tourism. On the other hand, paradoxically, the support of the public party was cut off from the organization of the site manager Bergero.
A project in sight? She explain“More and more foreign productions are opting for Italy, but I can’t talk regarding it now, also because now I no longer work only for this territory. Italy 1998 by the Province of Savona, is no longer supported by local public bodies, since they then created a regional body. For this reason I can now take them anywhere in Italy or other European countries. I am sorry for not being able to continue working for my country, which has enormous potential that must be realised: it is an “open-air cinecittà” as I have defined it in my campaigns in international festivals of cinema like Cannes and others Top-down decisions have been made”.
To be location manager explains the photo: “Big international productions don’t need public funding to succeed, but the professionalism of those who record them. Only the majors can guarantee a local economic impact, not small productions or advertisements, which also do not bring image feedback (filming locations are not recognized or travel only to Italy) nor the occupation of hotels and technical staff or extras for longer periods”.
Here is the quantified example of “Ink Heart”: “Total budget 70 million dollars, there are 5 million euros left in terms of space, hotel occupancy (25,000 hotel nights in November), skilled workers, craftsmen, various services, extras. The return of the image is incalculable. Released in 89 countries and still on air. The movie was shot here and it makes a big difference. Alexandra Bergero“Alassio was mentioned in the dialogues, even though the book is set elsewhere in the province of Imperia. These details are not accidental, but are the work we do behind the scenes, focusing our professionalism also and above all on the production that we have personally supervised with great energy for many months. Our small office was always available, never caught off guard, and answered every hour. »
“When it comes to foreign productions, that’s just as important as being fluent in English – closes – It’s obvious ? But that doesn’t always happen… Besides English, you have to know cinema well and love it deeply to make even the impossible possible.
