Interview with Nicola Tarantino, director of the Sicilia Film Commission
A wide range of locations blessed by the quality of light and the climate and a network of relationships across the territory to facilitate productions
A wide variety of settings, an excellent climate and unparalleled light: this is what those who choose to shoot their film or TV project in Sicily find. Not by chance did Harrison Ford chose to end the cycle of Indiana Jones films here (locations); Taormina and surroundings are now celebrating a tourism boom thanks to the incredible success of the second season of HBO’s The White Lotus (locations); and Montalbano (locations), whose repeat broadcasts continue to register a high number of primetime viewers, has been bringing the curious from all over the globe to Ragusa and Val di Noto for over 20 years.
The numbers presented by Sicilia Film Commission director, Nicola Tarantino, confirm a firm trend for this land blessed by the sun and lapped by the sea: in 2022, 37 projects (21 films/ TV series, 14 documentaries, 2 short films) were co-financed for a total value of €9.4 million, and a spend in the region of approximately €30.6 million, making a multiplier effect of about 310%.
What are the strengths of the production support offered by your Film Commission?
A network of relationship to facilitate administrative procedures
Sicilia Film Commission is particularly well rooted in the territory with a well-structured network of partnerships with local institutions and authorities responsible for managing the most attractive locations (archaeological areas, nature reserves, Soprintendenze Beni Culturali, etc.). This allows us to facilitate the administrative processes for obtaining authorizations, thanks to a policy of sensibilization about the importance of hosting film productions in Sicilia developed over the years with the above-mentioned institutional players.
Why should productions choose your region?
A land of sun and sea and an excellent climate
The range of landscapes (art cities, archaeological sites, UNESCO World Heritage sites, nature reserves, small islands, volcanoes, mountain and seaside villages, beaches, quarries and mines, industrial archaeology etc.) makes Sicily available for the setting of every type of narrative.
Furthermore, this area has special spectrometric light characteristics that derive from its latitude and from being an island with light reflected off the sea on all sides.
And let’s not forget the excellent climatic conditions that last for a longer range of time than other places, something that allows for a greater decontextualization of seasons for shooting.
On the subject of locations, what are the most surprising and unlikely places that you have suggested?
Underground locations are proving very attractive
An unusual setting, compared to the more “classical” places in Sicily, that has proved very attractive is the salt mine of Petralia Sottana (Palermo), an underground location proposed by the Sicilia Film Commission and recently used by a large-scale international coproduction, The End.
Another large international coproduction (Luka) shot in the ancient Melilli Quarry (Siracusa), known as "Pirrera Sant'Antonio", in 2021 and in another unusual location that had never been used before, the Blufi Dam, whose construction (which began in 1990) was interrupted permanently in 1996. The costs of the construction (adjusted to present rates) amount to € 260 million approx., making it probably one of the most expensive sets ever used in cinema!
Let’s talk about the future. What are your upcoming projects?
Great production activity in the near future
The 2023 Call has a budget of approx. €6.5 million: to date, the commission (due to probably complete work by end August) has received submissions for 75 projects – including 53 film/series, 13 documentaries and 9 short films – totalling approx. €19 million, almost three times the amount available. You can be sure that the next few months will see a large increase to the already significant production activity on the island!