The poor village of Fontamara was shot in various places in the province of L’Aquila that were well-known and loved by Ignazio Silone: his birthplace Pescina, in particular in the residential area beneath the torre Piccolomini that was badly damaged by the Marsica earthquake of 1915; the village of Gioia Vecchio in the municipality of Gioia dei Marsi; and Aielli. Part of Fontamara is actually Popoli (PE), such as the bell tower of the Church of the Holy Trinity where Berardo Viola (Michele Placido) carries the donkey sent by the landowner of Avezzano instead of the priest and where, following the Fascists’ incursion, the sacristan decides to kill himself. The fields surrounding the village are those of the Fucino plain. The shots from below of the plain show the Peligno village of Roccacasale and the ruins of the castle above.
Some of the film is set in Rome where Berardo and young Antonio go in search of a better life. Recognisable locations include the present-day piazza della Repubblica with the Church of Our Lady of the Angels; the Colosseum where Berardo shows off his strength to the residents; and Lungotevere where he spends the night after being thrown out by the owner of the room he is renting with Antonio.
The poor village of Fontamara was shot in various places in the province of L’Aquila that were well-known and loved by Ignazio Silone: his birthplace Pescina, in particular in the residential area beneath the torre Piccolomini that was badly damaged by the Marsica earthquake of 1915; the village of Gioia Vecchio in the municipality of Gioia dei Marsi; and Aielli. Part of Fontamara is actually Popoli (PE), such as the bell tower of the Church of the Holy Trinity where Berardo Viola (Michele Placido) carries the donkey sent by the landowner of Avezzano instead of the priest and where, following the Fascists’ incursion, the sacristan decides to kill himself. The fields surrounding the village are those of the Fucino plain. The shots from below of the plain show the Peligno village of Roccacasale and the ruins of the castle above.
Some of the film is set in Rome where Berardo and young Antonio go in search of a better life. Recognisable locations include the present-day piazza della Repubblica with the Church of Our Lady of the Angels; the Colosseum where Berardo shows off his strength to the residents; and Lungotevere where he spends the night after being thrown out by the owner of the room he is renting with Antonio.
Copyright: ©Archivio fotografico Cineteca Nazionale, Roma. Selezione a cura di: Valentina Contessi, Elisabetta Chiarotti, Alessandro Andreini
Antonio Orlando
Copyright: ©Archivio fotografico Cineteca Nazionale, Roma. Selezione a cura di: Valentina Contessi, Elisabetta Chiarotti, Alessandro Andreini
Copyright: ©Archivio fotografico Cineteca Nazionale, Roma. Selezione a cura di: Valentina Contessi, Elisabetta Chiarotti, Alessandro Andreini
Antonella Murgia
Copyright: ©Archivio fotografico Cineteca Nazionale, Roma. Selezione a cura di: Valentina Contessi, Elisabetta Chiarotti, Alessandro Andreini
Copyright: ©Archivio fotografico Cineteca Nazionale, Roma. Selezione a cura di: Valentina Contessi, Elisabetta Chiarotti, Alessandro Andreini
Rai, Erre Cinematografica
Based on the novel of the same name by Ignazio Silone. The so-called cafoni (boors) of Fontamara, a tiny village in the Valley of Giovenco, are victims of their own ignorance and the abuses of landowners and the Fascist government.
