Shooting at Cinecittà: “The Decameron”, Netflix’s adaptation of Boccaccio’s drama

Netflix’s The Decameron has come to Rome, due to shoot in Cinecittà Studios for the next six months. The news is reported in an article in Variety which also notes that the U.S. show is one of the biggest international productions to be based in the storied studios of via Tuscolana in recent years.The series is executive produced by Jenji Kohan; showrunner Kathleen Jordan is also responsible for the adaptation.

The eight episodes are inspired by Decameron, Giovanni Boccaccio’s famous take on the society of his time. In 1348, as the Black Death epidemic rages through the city of Florence, a handful of nobles retreat with their servants to a grand villa in the countryside to wait out the pestilence telling stories and anecdotes, however social rules progressively wear thin.

The production occupies a large swath of the Cinecittà backlot: in particular, the interiors of the large Villa Santa’s are in “Federico Fellini’s” Studio 5, and other portions of the villa in Studio 4 and Studio 11.

Four of the eight episodes will be directed by Michael Uppendahl. The announced cast is almost entirely comprised of young non-Italian actors, including Zosia Mamet, as Pampinea, the future lady of the villa; Tanya Reynolds as Licisca, an obedient but unpredictable servant; and Karan Gill as Panfilo, scion of a prominent Florentine family. However, the crew is mostly Italian as are its production designer – Luca Tranchino – and costume designers – Gabriella Pescucci (Oscar winner for The Age of Innocence) and Uliva Pizzetti.

The Decameron line producer is Nicola Rosada for Fremantle, which last year signed a five-year pact for the continuous rental of six Cinecittà sound stages.  he series will make use of tax credits offered by the Italian government, which provide rebates for up to 40% of eligible production costs.