Martin Scorsese will turn in Sicily a documentary on ancient shipwrecks of the Mediterranean which will bring the Oscar-winning director back to Polizzi Generosa, the town where his paternal grandparents were born.
The project, still untitled, is based on the research ofAmerican archaeologist Lisa Briggs, professor and researcher at Cranfield University in England. Briggs specializes in terrestrial and underwater archaeology, particularly the use of scientific tools such as DNA analysis on artefacts recovered from ancient shipwreck sites, to reconstruct the stories of ships, sailors, cargoes and maritime trade in the ancient world.
“We welcomed the initiative with enthusiasm“, Francesco Paolo Scarpinato, Sicily’s councilor for cultural heritage, told the Italian news agency ANSA. He added that the island’s authorities are “putting all archaeological sites and parks available relevant, given the relevance of the project“.
Several other sources have confirmed that filming on Scorsese’s documentary is expected to begin this summerco-produced by the Department of Culture of the Sicily Region and the director’s Sikelia Productions, in collaboration with the UK’s Sunk Costs Productions, with the US producer Chad A. Verdi (The Irishman) and with LBI Entertainment of Los Angeles .
Martin Scorsese has created a docuseries about the saints, coming to Fox Nation screens
The details of the documentary film
Scorsese’s documentary on ancient shipwrecks will be filmed in Sicilian locations terrestrial and submarine which include the Strait of Sicily; the area surrounding the port city of Trapaniin the northwestern corner of Sicily and nearby Marausa, known for the recent discovery of the “Marausa 2” wreck, a large sunken ship dating back to the 3rd century AD; the archaeological parks of Selinunte and Lilibeo-Marsala; the Caves of Cusa and the small island of Pantelleria.
Among the selected locations also include the historic tuna fishery ofisland of Favignanathe ancient one Phoenician colony of Mozia, the medieval village of Erice and Polizzi Generosa, the town located on a high cliff along the southern slopes of the Madoniehomeland of the director’s paternal grandparentsTeresa and Francesco Scorsese, before they emigrated to New York at the turn of the century.
In a post on Facebook, the mayor of Polizzi Generosa Gandolfo Librizzi announced that he had worked discreetly with Scorsese’s staff for over a year and added that the doc “will be the opportunity” to give Scorsese the honorary citizenship of the beautiful town of around 3,000 inhabitants, known for having a Hellenistic necropolis, a medieval castle, beautiful churches and for being the birthplace of Domenico Dolce of the designer duo Dolce and Gabbana.
