'Fuochi d’Artificio', Susanna Nicchiarelli’s series for Rai 1, shot in Piedmont

Fuochi d'Artificio, miniseries directed by Susanna Nicchiarelli and based on the book of the same title by Andrea Bouchard, shot in Piedmont - in Val di Susa and various villages of the Piedmont Alps - is scheduled for prime-time broadcast on 15, 22, 25 April on Rai 1. Written by Marianna Cappi and Susanna Nicchiarelli with the collaboration of Andrea Bouchard, the nine weeks of preparation for the series took place in Turin (based at the Film Commission Torino Piemonte), from late February 2023.  Principal photography began on 8 May and concluded in mid-August.

The story of four teenagers in the years of the Anti-Fascist Resistance, “Fuochi d’Artificio” is produced by Domenico Procacci and Laura Paolucci for Fandango and Costanza Coldagelli for Matrioska in collaboration with Rai Fiction.

Locations used for the series 'Fuochi d'Artificio'

The series was shot entirely in the region of Piedmont, with the support of the Film Commission Torino Piemonte which also assisted through its development fund. Val di Susa and various Alpine villages star in the story which focuses on the partisan adventure of four young people towards the end of WWII: Exilles Fort was used for a Nazi command base along with other places in the municipality of Exilles, in addition to Oulx which was the setting for the home of Marta’s grandparents in the hamlet of Rochemolles (comune di Bardonecchia), and Cesana. In addition, Bardonecchia, Oulx, Cesana - all part of the regional network created by the Film Commission Torino Piemonte, brought in partially thanks to the professional collaboration with UNCEM Piemonte – were selected by the production, along with Sestriere and Susa, as the base for 10 days of casting.

There was a strong Piedmontese component in the crew, with approx. 40 local professionals involved across the departments: production, management, photography, photography and post production (including production director Arianna Trono, production manager Alfredo Ferrentino, location manager Joseph Geminale, extras and small roles casting Brenda Civico, sound recordist Mirko Guerra, boom operator Sonia Portoghese, Max Viale for the music and Stefano Cravero in the edit).

'Fuochi d'Artificio' by Susanna Nicchiarelli: synopsis and cast

A partisan adventure and a story of love and friendship, seen from the point of view of 13 year old Marta. In 1944, in the Piedmont Alps, four adolescents dream of the war’s end and the moment when they can hug their parents and elder brothers again. When they discover, by chance, that their age means that they can evade suspicion and forced searches, they decide to help the partisans in secret. Marta, Davide, Sara and Marco become “Sandokan”:  a mysterious rebel that causes huge trouble for the Nazis and Fascists in the valley. The four kids contribute to the Resistance’s final victory and the liberation of Italy from enemy occupation, undertaking huge dangers and great tests of courage, amidst breathtakingly steep climbs and descents on the mountains.

The cast includes: Anna Losano (Marta), Luca Charles Brucini (Davide), Carlotta Dosi (Sara), Lorenzo Enrico (Marco), Carla Signoris (Marta’s grandmother), Bebo Storti (Marta’s grandfather), Gabriele Graham Gasco (Matteo), Alessandro Tedeschi (Stefano Bertin), Barbara Ronchi (Nene), Francesco Centorame (Vittorio), David Paryla (Lt. Klaus), Cristina Pasino (Marcella), Iris Fusetti (Sara’s mother), Fabrizio Coniglio (Sergio Bottero), Bruno Orlando (Gian Maria), Matteo Josè Vercelli (Drago), Davide Lorino (Emilio), Elena Arvigo (Prof. Giraudo), Nicolai Selikosvky (Riccardo), Paolo Briguglia (Commander Libero), Stefano Saccotelli (man in battle).

Nicchiarelli: talking about the Resistance to children

The miniseries focusses on a group of teenagers intent on expelling the Fascists and Naxis from their valley. It is an extraordinary partisan adventure, a story of love and freedom, friendship and bravery which was sparked when the director fell in love with Andrea Bouchard’s book: "a book adored by children of all ages because it is thrilling, exciting, funny and at times moving”.

“To date, there are no TV or film stories for children that talk about the Resistance in such simple, yet profound terms and the story, as it is structured, is full of suspense and adventure, while also dealing with delicate and important themes", noted Susanna Nicchiarelli. Commenting on the filming locations in the Piedmont mountains, she added: "The setting provides a fabulous aesthetic frame for the adventure of these children: the paths, their fear of wolves, the bicycles, shelters, river and the abandoned churches, plus the grandparents' farm and the infamous Forte di Bevasca all provide an extremely evocative, even enchanted, settting for the story".

• Discover all locations in Fuochi d'artificio.