The rugged and varied landscape of the Island of Pantelleria is, by the very declaration of the director, the fifth protagonist of the film.
The Borgia estate is at the centre of the story: its swimming pool, by the side of which the protagonists often gather, provides the setting for the crime that will turn all their lives upside down.
The outdoor settings, sunny during the day and animated at night, instead reveal the heart and soul of the island. In the opening minutes of the film, we are introduced to two drowsy protagonists, Marianne Lane and her boyfriend Paul, on the banks of the Specchio di Venere Lake, a thermal spring and one of the island’s main attractions: filled by rainwater and thermal springs, it formed in the crater of an ancient volcano and is allegedly where Venus came to look at her reflection before her encounters with Bacchus.
Between the narrow streets and winding slopes, crystal clear waters at the foot of barren cliffs and golden beaches, restaurants hidden by the rocks, local celebrations and the Dammusi, rugged houses with walls made from igneous rock and domed roofs, we recognise Scauri, a small town in the south-west of the island which is well-known for its Old Port, an ancient Roman port that looks out towards Tunisia.
The rugged and varied landscape of the Island of Pantelleria is, by the very declaration of the director, the fifth protagonist of the film.
The Borgia estate is at the centre of the story: its swimming pool, by the side of which the protagonists often gather, provides the setting for the crime that will turn all their lives upside down.
The outdoor settings, sunny during the day and animated at night, instead reveal the heart and soul of the island. In the opening minutes of the film, we are introduced to two drowsy protagonists, Marianne Lane and her boyfriend Paul, on the banks of the Specchio di Venere Lake, a thermal spring and one of the island’s main attractions: filled by rainwater and thermal springs, it formed in the crater of an ancient volcano and is allegedly where Venus came to look at her reflection before her encounters with Bacchus.
Between the narrow streets and winding slopes, crystal clear waters at the foot of barren cliffs and golden beaches, restaurants hidden by the rocks, local celebrations and the Dammusi, rugged houses with walls made from igneous rock and domed roofs, we recognise Scauri, a small town in the south-west of the island which is well-known for its Old Port, an ancient Roman port that looks out towards Tunisia.
Local food and wine traditions are often referenced on the table around which Marianna, Paul, Penelope and Harry, who enjoy eating fish, fresh ricotta and capers, gather, reminding us in passing that Pantelleria is also the home of Passito wine.
Frenesy Film Company, Cota Film
Presented at the 72nd Venice Film Festival and loosely based on feature film La Piscina by Jacques Deray (1968), A Bigger Splash tells the story of the convalescence of a rock star on holiday with her partner in Pantelleria, which is livened up by a visit from her ex and her daughter.
