It is well known that the 25th instalment of the 007 saga is being shot in Southern Italy. The areas of Gravina di Puglia, Sapri, Maratea and Matera, in particular, provide backgrounds for the film entitled No Time To Die with Daniel Craig reprising the role of James Bond.
This represents a welcome influx of cash for Matera, home to the famous “Sassi”, which is experiencing a moment of great visibility with the activities linked to its status as a 2019 European Capital of Culture and the ‘rediscovery’ of the UNESCO World Heritage Site as an excellent location for international film and TV shoots. Eon Production has, in fact, ear-marked €12 million for spending in the capital of the Lucania area and in the other cities involved in the shoot. This budget will produce 18 edited minutes in the film which indicates the scale of this international mega production whose 600-strong crew arrived in Matera in August, filling every hotel and type of accommodation. In addition, 800 local professionals have been working on the preparation of 32 sets for months while the Lucana Film Commission has supplied continual support (ph: 007.com).