GENOA AS A LOCATION: LUXURY BY THE SEASIDE - ROUTES & STORYTELLING FAMOUS: movietravel.eu | Travel

ROUTES & STORYTELLING

GENOA AS A LOCATION: LUXURY BY THE
                               SEASIDE

                                FAMOUS:

     Film Festivals and Movie Tourism Across UNESCO Sites

                                 18 months

                     st
                (1        May 2018 – 31st October 2019)

               Project: COS-TOURCCI-2017-03-03

TABLE OF CONTENTS
*Note: numbers correspond to
the sites that are marked in
the maps below.

A) MAPPING

B) STORYTELLING DEVELOPMENT
1.2. Polanski’s Pirates take the harbour
Locations: Galleon Neptune, Aquarium
3.4 Summer in Genoa and “the city in the shadow”
Locations: Old harbour, The Bigo
5.6 Ghosts and princesses in old Genoa
Locations: Via Canetto & Old town, Piazza De Ferrari
7.8.9 Grace of Monaco at Rolli Palaces
Locations: Via Garibaldi, Palazzo Rosso, Palazo Reale
10. Portofino in Enchanted April and Murder Mysteries
Locations: Portofino’s seaside, Brown Castle

MAPPING
GENERAL VIEW OF THE ROUTE:

ADDITIONAL SHORT TRIP (SEE REFERENCES AT POINT 10)

CORRELATION OF SITES AND FILMS/FILM EVENTS:

STORYTELLING DEVELOPMENT

Genoa, the main city of Liguria, is an open-air museum, that’s why most of the historical centre and
its Palaces has been declared UNESCO site in 2006.

This charming city, known as “La Superba” (the Proud One), boasts centuries of histories and once
was an independent State from (1005 to 1797), with its own empire. Here you can find the largest
medieval historical centre in Europe, an intricate maze of alleys where its multicultural soul and the
contrasts of the city are most evident than anywhere else.         As Charles Dickens remarked “it
abounds in the strangest contrasts; things that are picturesque, ugly, mean, magnificent, delightful
and offensive, break upon the view at every turn – there seems to be always something to find
out”.

Known as a cradle of international traders, the riches, exclusive goods and exotic materials that
reached its shores in the holds of ships that came from very long voyages turned it into a
flourishing city. Between XI and XVIII, Genoa was one of the independent republics of Italy and
exerted an important influence on the economic, cultural and political development of the region of
Liguria, of which today it is capital. Africa, Crimea, China, Corsica or Sardinia were some of the
usual destinations for ships sailing from the harbour of Genoa, which remains the most important
of all Italy.

Glory, power and wealth were the backbone of the urban development of Genoa from the 15th
centuries on. The truly drivers of this development were Genoa businessman who paid for the
exploits of the European monarchies of the time during Modern ages. They finally found the Bank
of Saint George, one of the firsts banks in Europe. Charles V, for instance, was one of the
monarchs who most assiduously sought financial support from the Genoese families. Genoese
moneylenders were delighted to help them, and eventually managed to get a privileged position in
the nuts and bolts of courts that allowed them to keep with their business without worrying about
being invaded. They could turn to their trades and their negotiations, the outcome of which they
somehow invested in the city. The so- called Rolli palaces, Via Garibaldi and several of the city’s
impressive infrastructures were built during this period, as a result of the buoyant commercial life of
the city.

Among other distinctions, Genoa’s rich cultural history in art, music and cuisine allowed it to
become in 2004 European Capital of Culture.

Thanks to its history, Genoa gathers in one place several of the most sought after elements in a
cinematographic location: it has power, charisma, personality and is full of enclaves with an
intrinsic attraction, whether artistic or natural.

Genoa has many souls. Going from the old port up to the hills it is like visiting different cities at the
same time: the Baroque city, the Medieval city, and the Modern city. The city has always attracted
directors from all over the world because of its contrasts, its variety of landscape and of lights,
because of the strong contrasts among old and new. A walk through Genoa is, at the same time, a
walk through the scenes of international productions that have brought out the best of the city and
its heritage.

We will visit some of them!

1.2. Polanski’s Pirates take the harbour

Locations: Galleon Neptune, Aquarium

The ancient harbour is the heart of the modern city: the area is full of attractions and experience to
live and it is one of the liveliest parts of the city during both days and nights. The harbour was
redesigned in 1992, by architect Renzo Piano, born in Genoa, for the 500th anniversary of the
discovery of America by the native son Christopher Columbus.

It is possible to see how the area looked when it was still working as the port of Genoa in the Dino
Risi movie “Profumo di donna” (1974), that many will remember for the remake by Martin Brest
(1992) with Al Pacino in in the main role (played by Vittorio Gassman in the original version).
Another fascinating view on the Old Port Area “as it was” can be seen in the Italian “Stregati”
(Francesco Nuti, 1986). Also, the archives of Fondazione Ansaldo preserve a short shooting of
Piazza Caricamento, shot by the Lumière brothers in 1896. The shooting represents the area close
to Palazzo Reale, where it still was possible to see the Ponte Reale, the bridge connecting the
palaces to the sea.

The visitant will not find in the harbour of Genoa a vessel like the one Columbus used when he
salied to America, but a pirate ship. More precisely, in Molo Ponte Calvi there is a duplicate of a
Spanish galleon, a ship that became popular for war and trade in the 16th centuries. Visitors often

wonder why there is a Spanish galleon in the port of Genoa. The answer is simple and has nothing
to do with history, but with cinema!

The Galleon Neptune is a full-scale ship replica of a 17th centuries Spanish galleon, expressly built
for the movie Pirates directed by Roman Polanski that premiered in the Festival of Cannes in 1986.
The main character of Pirates captain Thomas Bartholomew Red, Captain Red, a pirate. Polanski
fristly Jack Nicholson to play the role, but changed his mind because of the high fees Nicholson
asked. The Galleon Neptune is a real ship that is able to cruise across the sea. It was constructed
in Tunisia, in the shipyard of Port El Kantaoui in 1985. The movie was filmed in Malta in the Malta
Film Water Tank in Malta Film Studios (MFS), world-renowned exterior water tanks situated along
the coast, where many movies were filmed, such as Titanic or the Maltese drama Shimsar.

Portici di Sotoripa is another site that gives a hint of the bustle and variety of languages, cultures
and traditions that crossed every day in the old port of Genoa. There stands the oldest public
arcade in Italy characterized by a succession of shops and the lively bustle of different people and
cultures. From textiles to spices, from traditional fried-food shops to new exotic cuisines, everything
can be found there. Walking under the arcaded portico the visitor's mind can easily fly to the times
when commodities were unloaded from sailing ships coming from every part of the Mediterranean.
And, perhaps, you’ll even feel closer Polanki’s Pirates characters!

In the harbour of Genoa, there are two more sites that have drawn the attention of international
filmmakers. One is the Aquarium, the largest in Italy and one of the biggest in Europe. In 2018, the
production team of the Italian-Japanese crime film White Flowers select it as a location to shoot a
story with an outstanding cast: Ivan Franek (La Grande Bellezza), Yuki Iwasaki (Tarda Estate), and
Hal Yamanouchi (Wolverine – La Vendetta). White Flowers has the delicacy of the Japanese and
the coraougeous spirit of the Italian. The movie follows the steps of a man that awakes in a hotel
room in Rome: he has a wound on his forehead and a gun, but does not remember his identity or

his pass. On the other hand, Yuki is a young illustrator who lives in Kyoto: after the death of his
fiancé, an Italian guy, she lost the speech but developed extrasensory capabilities that allowed her
to see the dead and communicate with them. She will depart to Italy, in search of a legendary
language, if he retrovance the things lost. The Aquarium, as other Genoese sites, appears also in
the Italian movie “Fortunata” (2017 - Director Sergio Castellitto, featuring Stefano Accorsi and
Jasmine Trinca).

The other site that has recently been used as scenenario for a series is Museo del Mare (Mu.Ma),
constructed in the old docks. Mu.Ma is the biggest Italian maritime museum existing. It exhibitions
propose a journey through time, from the epoch of the galleons down to the migrations. Also, in
front of the Mu.Ma you can find a submarine and visit it. During the spring-summer 2019, Sky TV
and Catteleya have started the shot of the TV serie PETRA, inspired by novels protagonized by
detective Petra Delicado, and written by Alicia Giménez Bartlett. The main character is the famous
Italian actress Paola Cortellesi. Keep your eye on its premiere!

3.4 Summer in Genoa and “the city in the shadow”

Locations: Old harbour, The Bigo

The Galleon Nepture, the Aquarium and the Mu.Ma indeed attract lots of people, both locals and
visitors, to the Molo Distrit. But the true, traditional symbol of the Old Harbour of Genoa is the
lighthouse of Genoa, the Lanterna’. Built in 1128 on the top of Capo di Faro (Lighthouse Cape), the
Lanterna is more than a lighthouse. It is the landmark of the city of Genoa, as one can see from the
inner docks of the old harbour. There, people used to light bonfires to help sailors to find the land.
Plus, the Lighthouse served a dual purpose: as a warning signal and as a fortification. The
Lanterna lightens up Genoa’s sea every 20 seconds. That is why Genoa is also known as “the city
in the shadow of the Lighthouse”.

The idea of Genoa as a city with lights and shadows, where the sea represents both freedom and
confinement, is gathered up in Mark Winterbottom’s film Summer in Genoa. This films tells the
story of a man who moves with his two daughters to Italy after their mother dies in a car accident,
in order to revitalize their lives. Genova changes all three of them as the youngest daughter starts
to see the ghost of her mother, while the older sibling discovers her sexuality. Colin Firth played the
part of the widower, an English professor who will continue his career in an Italian university were
he will bump into Barbara, an ex colleague.

In the streets and the harbour of Genoa, the family will find the way to move forward exploring new
ways of living and facing feelings such as sorrow and nostalgia, but also joy and excitement. The
discovery of the city is the reflection of a much deeper journey that the three members of the family
will embrace (each of them with their own nuances, according to their age and previous
experiences).

Summer in Genoa shows that it is all about learning –bear it love, mourning or affection. Kelly, the
older girl, will discover the mysteries of passion and attraction through a Mediterranean teen
romance. Joe, the widower, will plunge into the particularities of the Italian character through a
series of open discussions with his students. The younger sister, Mary, will deal with the feeling of
loss, both psychologically and physically, as she gets lost in the alleys of Genoa twice.

After Summer in Genoa was released, the critics highlighted the way in which the city interacted
with the main characters of the movie, pushing them to confront their feelings. According to Time
Out, Winterbottom thrived in showing “how claustrophobic – and liberating – it can be to mix a
strange city with devastating loss”. Speaking of the sense of liberation, the film’s title sequence is
backdropped by a (shaky) birds-eye view over Genoa’s harbour. These opening shots really help
place the film: one can sense right away that Genoa is a built-up city with lots of alleys going up to
the hills (somehow, an analogy of life). A funny fact for movie lovers: the music we listen to while
watching this images of Genoa was originally composed by Geroges Delerue for Truffaut’s The
American night.

We can’t promise you a similar bird-eye view from the one in the movie, but we have an alternative
that has nothing to envy to Winterbottom’s scenes: have a view of the port from above jumping on
The Bigo, a unique external elevator that lifts you 40 meters up to reveal a stunning 360°
panorama of the town and of the old harbour. The elevator is open every day except in winter,
when it is open only on weekends.

5.6 Ghosts and princesses in old Genoa

Locations: Via Canneto & Old town, Piazza De Ferrari

We follow the steps of the characters of Summer in Genoa into the historical part of the city, where
Mary, Joe’s younger daughter, saw the ghost of her mother.

The Historic Centre of Genoa is one of the most extended medieval Historic Centres of Europe and
is the most densely populated. A maze of alleys (caruggi) that unexpectedly end up in small

squares, that, as well as the churches that dominate them once belonged to important noble
families. In this place where time seems to have stood still, palaces and wonderful churches
alternate with historic shops that have been open to the public for more than 100 years. Typical of
Genoa are the botteghe storiche (historic shops) and even the names of the alleys often recall a
past strongly linked to artisanal activities and corporations. If you lift your eyes at crossroads, you
will enjoy the magnificent votive niches (streetlamps), a gift by ancient corporations to illuminate
the streets of the city at night.

At this point, the city invites the visitor to loose him or herself in medieval streets and traditional old
workshops to discover the Genoese spirit, the different smells, flavours, languages and cultures
that have always been mixing together. In these narrow spaces, between the hills and the sea, the
pride of rich merchants and of noble Genoese was expressed by building splendid residences,
where many works of art were collected and guarded for centuries and is still possible to see them
in some of these palaces, nowadays transformed in public Museums.

Via Canneto il lungo is one of these typical Genoese alleyways. Some say that the door of Summer
in Genoa family’s apartment is on this street, near the San Lorenzo Cathedral. In Via Canneto il
lungo, child Mary starts a melancholically walk in the narrow old alleys of the town, where ‘the
ghost’ of her mother appears in between streets. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, it is
undeniable that the alleys of Genoa invite to fantasize about the past and the present.

In this sense, old Genoa is also imperial Genoa. A step away from this area of the city we
encounter Via Garibald by passing Piazza Ferrari. The square is one of the Genoese sites that
Italian director Silvio Soldini shows in his movie Agata e la tempesta (2004): due to the
extraordinary extra-powers of Agata, when she arrives in the square and she sees her beloved
Nico kissing another woman, all the streetlight lamps explode!

With a splashing fountain surrounded by grand buildings, Piazza Ferrari is one of the busiest
streets of the city, radiating from it in all directions. From here on, there is a parade of palaces and
royal buildings that invite visitors to get lost among the sights of the imperial past of the city.

Those who have seen the film Grace of Monaco will recognize themselves in this feeling. Several
scenes of this film were shot in the Rolli palaces of the city, recognized as World Heritage by
UNESCO since 2006.

7.8.9 Grace of Monaco at Rolli Palaces

Locations: Via Garibaldi, Palazzo Rosso, Palazo Reale

The Republic of Genoa used to host members of European aristocracy, moving to the city for
diplomatic visits, back in the 1600s and 1700s. Given that it was not possible to receive state
guests at Palazzo Ducale, the seat of the government, the owners of the most beautiful palaces in
town were given the “honour” to receive diplomats, dignitaries and aristocratic visitors in their
dwellings; the palaces were list into special lists, called “Rolli”, 42 of the more than 150 original
palaces known as the Palazzi dei Rolli, were selected to be a part of the UNESCO World Heritage
Site. The most famous palaces can be found following Via Garibaldi.

Via Garibaldi is a little street, which lies north of Piazza Ferrari and above the sailors' quarter. Its
facades present a succession of carved and painted embellishments, frescoes, grand arcades and
loggias, balconies, courtyards, and entrances crowned by crests of noble families whose homes
these were. Following Via Garibaldi we encounter several of the palaces that appeared in Grace of
Monaco. Best of it is that some of them are open to the public!

Grace of Monaco presents an already retired Grace Kelly, portrayed by Nicole Kidman, during one
of her marriage crisis with Prince Rainier II. Kelly receives the visit of filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock
who comes to propose her a role in his film Marnie. The princess considers the offer while
weighting what consequences will this have in her diplomatic role as a member of the royal family.
Such a glamorous story needed a stage to match. The Rolli palaces could not be more appropriate
for princess Grace of Monaco and her vicissitudes.

The Palazzo Rosso, a noble stately home decorated with frescoes by the greatest Ligurian painters
of the 17th century and precious furnishings, houses an extensive painting collection, including the
works collected by the Brignole-Sale family for over two centuries. The Gallery of this Genoese
aristocratic building features works of art by Dürer, Veronese, Guercino, Strozzi, Grechetto, Van
Dyck, and many others. Palazzo Rosso is the place where in the movie a luxurious reception takes
place. A couple of minutes from Palazzo Rosso there is the Basilica Della Santissima Annunziata
del Vastato, an inspiring and delicately decorated church just off the Via Garibaldi. In Grace of
Mocaco, the characters are seen visiting the Baroque 18th century church.

We are now reaching the palace that was used as a main location in the shooting of Grace of
Monaco., Palazzo Reale. Originally a noble residence, the Savoy mansion, today hosts the
wonderful National Museum in the heart of the monumental Via Balbi. Palazzo Balbi – Durazzo,
today known as Palazzo Reale (Royal Palace), was built in the 17th century by the Balbi family. It

is based on the designs of Pier Francesco Cantone. In 1677, it was inherited by Eugenio Durazzo,
who transformed it into an impressive Baroque-style building, reminiscent of a Roman palace. In
1824, it came into the possession of the Royal House of Savoy, who adopted it as their Genoese
residence, hence the name Palazzo Reale, or Royal Palace.

For the purposes of the film, it was decided that the ideal location for filming would be the Palazzo
Reale Museum, which is now a UNESCO heritage. Among other distinctions, Genoa’s rich cultural
history in art, music and cuisine allowed it to become in 2004 European Capital of Culture. Also, a
part of the old town of Genoa was inscribed on the World Heritage List (UNESCO) in 2006.

10. Portofino in Enchanted April and Murder Mysteries

Locations: Portofino’s seaside, Brown Castle

A route through the film Liguria is not complete without a visit to Portofino, less than an hour from
the capital. Portofino, the quintessential fishing village on the Italian Riviera, is one of the favourite
destinations for Hollywood celebrities since the 50’s. Sophia Loren, Humphrey Bogart, Brigitte
Bardot, Catherine Deneuve, Alain Delon, Marcello Mastroianni, Robert De Niro, Denzel
Washington and George Clooney, among others, chose it to spend their holidays. It is said that,
during a break filming the movie Cleopatra, Richard Burton proposed to Elizabeth Taylor during
their stay at the magnificent Hotel Splendido in 1963.

While Portofino is a fashionable popular location, it still remains an irresistible destination for nature
and outdoor activities lovers. It is this feature (rather than its success among the so-called VIP)
what has turned this area of Liguria in one of the top selected ones by production teams. The
enchanted April or Netflix’s brand new Murder Mysteries are good examples of this.

In Enchanted April, Lottie Wilkins and Rose Arbuthnot, two married women living in 1920's London,
are trapped in empty relationships with their spouses. Lottie and Rose decide to rent an Italian
castle for the spring to get away from London. In order to save money, they put an advert in the
Times to find two more women to share expenses: ”To those who appreciate wisteria and
sunshine. Small medieval Italian castle on the shores of the Mediterranean to be let furnished for
the month of April. Necessary servants remain”. Mrs. Fisher, an elderly widow who knew many
famous authors in her youth is struggling with a lonely and regimented existence and jumps at the
chance to join the vacation. Lady Caroline Dester is a gorgeous flapper who has been grabbed one
too many times and is sick of men. The four will leave for Italy to the enchanting Castello Salvatore.

The movie is based on the best seller written by the novelist Von Arnim, during a stay in the castle
in 1922. Castello Salvatore is in real life Castello Brown. The antique castle appears to have been
used since the 10th century as a military fort. The Castle is open for the daily visits, today is also
used as a location for marriages, for conferences but also for cultural events then you can find
photography and art exhibition.

A lot of movies and TV series has been filmed in Portofino and Santa Margherita during last
decades. In 2018, Dennis Dugan filmed his Netflix movie Murder Mistery. Murder Mystery's plot
has the appeal of old-school detective novels. NYC cop (Sandler) and his wife (Anniston) have
decided to spend their holidays in Europe in a desperate attempt to save their marriage. On the
flight, they meet a quite enigmatic man (Luke Evans) who invites them to spend the night in the
yacht of an elderly billionaire. They accept. The next day, the dead body of the billionaire is found
and the American couple becomes the prime suspect of his murder – on the big and small screen,
it seems that a vacation in Europe is not complete if it doesn't involve a crime!

The movie is set on a yacht off the Portofino Coast. If you feel like, there is a change you may
follow their same steps by renting a boat to discover more in depth the coasts of ‘La Perla del
Tigullio’.