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What other reasons lead major Italian and international productions to film in Apulia and Basilicata? In an interview for TheGramJournal with location manager and landscape photographer Pietro Amendolara, further details emerge.
“The Apulian-Lucanian hinterland preserves historic centers that tell the story of the past; the landscapes are still in their natural state, with few power lines and few solar panels. These characteristics make them visually striking. Some small villages allow for the creation of films that evoke times gone by.”
Other characteristics are linked to the quality of the light—warm and intense—the clear, deep-blue skies, and the fields that change color throughout the year. In Puglia and Basilicata, thanks to the Apulia Film Commission and Basilicata Film Commission, there are substantial investments dedicated to cinema, so production costs are lower. Not only that, but those who decide to make a film are more inclined to choose these two regions because they can also hope for some financial support.
Another fascinating area well-suited for nature photography, where there are ancient farmhouses—sometimes even with animals—and where one can capture scenes with rural settings, is the Alta Murgia National Park. Famous for its dry stone walls and “pseudo-steppe” landscape, as well as for the UNESCO recognition of MurgeoPARK, with its deep sinkholes and sites of geological interest such as the bauxite mines, dinosaur footprints, and the famous “Pedemurgian” escarpment.
Within the park, you can find the largest population of red-footed falcons in Europe.
Among the other Apulian towns “with a cinematic vocation”, one worth mentioning is Castel del Monte, perfect for medieval films. In Basilicata, on the other hand, cities of interest from a geomorphological perspective—besides Matera—include “Craco, the ghost town,” as well as Ferrandina, Grottole, Aliano, and Tricarico.
Finally, let’s not forget “Le gravine,” gorges carved into the calcarenite rock where the “gravina” stream flows; on the slopes of the stream and inside the caves, it’s possible to shoot films set in an archaic setting
“Other reasons that drive productions from around the world to film here are linked to the diversity of the landscapes; in both Puglia and Basilicata, certain settings resemble ancient Greece, the Middle East, and South America. It is a diverse area from a natural, historical, and cultural perspective; these regions serve as a bridge between the past and the present, between the sea and the mountains,” concluded Pietro Amendolara.
In these inland areas of Puglia and Basilicata, in some places it seems as though time has not changed the landscapes, the things, or the people.
The hills and plains retain an indescribable charm: every town has a piece of history and landscape to tell.
