Lucca, 26 June 2024 – He didn’t last even a day. Just got back to town yesterday Dustin Hoffman he immediately went around the center together with his wife and bodyguard. A simple look, black and white, and the desire to savor Lucca again, stopping off in the places already discovered since the first takes of Peter Greenaway’s film: then lunch at the Oste di Lucca in via Fillungo (where he had already been 2-3 times ) then pit stop at the Veneta ice cream shop in via Beccheria where he had his “usual” dark chocolate calmly sitting in a corner of the ice cream shop.
The return of part of the cast had just been made official yesterday afternoon in the Hall of Mirrors by the tourism councilor Remo Santini together with the producer Philip Lee and Enrique Drescher – Swiss producer investor. From today for a week the crew will be back in action in the city – around eighty people, about half compared to the first foray – to complete or fine-tune some scenes of the film which, it was said at the press conference, they are also supporting a dozen local entrepreneurs. In addition to Dustin Hoffman, Sofia Boutella will be back in town from today. Yesterday reporters were shown a preview of some scenes from the film – which will have it a cost of 20 million euros – which show the city in all its beauty and perhaps even more. The “towers” are the protagonists, but all drone shots on the roofs of Lucca, the churches, through the bell towers, on the terraces, in the magical light of the sunset, capture all the magic, they are hypnotic. The title has not yet been confirmed, “Lucca Mortis” remains in question, while Philip Lee has officially announced that a preview of the film will be in Lucca.
Dustin Hoffman at the Oste di Lucca
“So much good news related to this happy return of the crew to the city – underlined councilor Santini –. We are very satisfied: when no one in Lucca believed in it anymore, this extraordinary production with a stellar cast took off. Personally I would like the title to include Lucca, it would be an important ‘seal’. I thank everyone who contributed to the success of this incredible project, from the stagehands, to the production, the cast, and the city that collaborated in perfect harmony.” The author of the evocative soundtrack, the absolute protagonist of some scenes, has also been revealed: the composer Luca D’Alberto.
They are scheduled for this week studio shots and outdoor shots, with different areas of the city that will gradually be affected: from Piazza Antelminelli to Piazza San Salvatore, from Via Guinigi to Piazzale Arrigoni. In particular, today the filming will be inside the former factory in via Filzi. Tomorrow in Piazzale Arrigoni with no parking from 8am to 12pm also in Corso Garibaldi, from 165 to 42. From 12.30pm to 4pm the set will move to the Walls (Baluardo S. Croce) with technical vehicles stopping in via Cimitero (between the park and Porta S. Donato). In the afternoon cover set at the former Manifattura via Filzi where they will also remain on the 28th and 29th.
The key scenes they will be on July 1st from 10 to 12 in via del Battistero (without closure), while piazza Antelminelli and via delle Trombe from the entrance to the post office will be closed. In Piazza S. Michele, always on Monday 1st July, filming with the drone from 2pm to 5pm. On 2nd July we will shoot in Piazza San Salvatore at the fountain from 3pm to 7pm. No parking in via Santa Giustina and deviation of the shuttle from Piazza San Salvatore, including the removal of bikes and racks from 4pm to 8pm. From 9pm to 1am the set will be located in via Guinigi. Dustin Hoffman will also “treat” himself to a bath in the fountain in Piazza Antelminelli, a Fellini quote. “Our intent – said producer Philip Lee yesterday – is to make Lucca look its best”. The conditions are all there.
