Nicola Serra, the general director of Palomar, tells us about the long and wonderful series of coincidences related to the Emilian “adventure” in which they have recently become involved.
Giorgio Diritti’s movie «Volevo nascondermi» which was almost entirely filmed in the region, the discovery of the Tecnopolo of Reggio Emilia and making it their local base during filming. But first of all is the fact that he and Carlo Degli Esposti, founder and president of Palomar, are both from Bologna.
«After having taken different directions, our paths crossed around ten years ago. But we hadn’t had much to do with Emilia-Romagna until now. Just casual and sporadic relationships, such as in the case of the movie by Walter Veltroni, «Indizi di felicità».
And this was after having worked with lots of Regions and Film Commissions: Palomar is the production company responsible for «Montalbano», «Braccialetti rossi», «I delitti del Bar Lume», «Leopardi» and «We believed»: all productions with strong local connotations.
«It was Giorgio Diritti who got us to set foot in Emilia», he continues. And mentions the biopic about the painter Antonio Ligabue: written by Diritti with Tania Pedroni, starring Elio Germano, it was mainly filmed in the Bassa Padana area, between Gualtieri and Guastalla and other towns in the province of Reggio Emilia.
«It portrays the particular sensitivity of this artist, a man who seemed as though he were enclosed within the “diving suit” of a difficult personality. Like “Leopardi” another project strongly linked to a region and its culture. Filming is currently at a very advanced stage: the first block was concluded in the spring and now there are just a few days of filming left at the end of November for the scenes with winter landscapes. We are very pleased with the footage we have so far».

The encounter with the Tecnopolo came at the same time: the redevelopment project involving the former Officine Reggiane created to host names of excellence or cutting edge experiences in the entrepreneurial field. «Companies from different sectors that live together in this big area, that dialogue with each other, exchanging experiences. A new and modern environment that immediately attracted us. So we asked for a small space to use as an operational base during the filming of «Ligabue». But now, in the light of the excellent experience and the efficiency, we intend to maintain that base in order to give our presence continuity. As natives of Emilia this would give us great pleasure. At the moment we are working on some ideas, including a TV series. But everything is still at an embryonic stage».
To demonstrate the intention to stay «and continue to work with the region, the Tecnopolo and the Institutions», Serra cites the specialist training courses organized to increase the quality of the professional resources in Emilia.

With regard to the relationship with the ERFC, he talks about having found «great support and attentiveness» to satisfying their production requirements. «They helped us with the logistics and location hunting as well as providing a direct economic contribution». The collaboration of the film commission was also decisive in putting them in contact with public and private subjects for gaining access to the works of Ligabue and helping them find places and meet people connected to the painter’s life. «To get access to the world of a great personage, to listen to their region, are the best ways of portraying them».