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Since 1965

Comacchio and cinema

THE MOST FAMOUS MOVIES FILMED IN THE LAGUNAR CITY
The magical and mysterious atmospheres of Comacchio and its Valleys, between canals, fog, and unspoiled nature, provide the backdrop for many films, some of which have now become part of the history of Italian cinema. If you want to organize a tour of the most suggestive film sets, below you will find some curious information.
1. Ossessione (1943) by Luchino Visconti


The city of Comacchio serves as the backdrop for some scenes of Luchino Visconti's film debut, freely inspired by the novel The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain. The film was censored by the fascist authorities and the Church, which ordered its destruction due to the content deemed scandalous. Today Ossessione is still visible only because the director managed to hide a negative until the end of the war.

2. The River Woman (1955) by Mario Soldati


First dramatic film starring Sophia Loren, among the screenwriters is also Pier Paolo Pasolini, here making his debut. The choice to set the story in the valleys of Comacchio was made by Soldati after watching the documentaries Men of the Marsh and Three Reeds and a Penny by Florestano Vancini. Many scenes of the film were shot inside the Manifattura dei Marinati, still active today in the processing of eels and open to the public as Museum of the Eel.

3. Agnese Goes to Die (1976) by Giuliano Montaldo


Based on the eponymous novel by Renata Viganò, it is the first Italian film about the Resistance to feature a woman as the protagonist. The actress Ingrid Thulin, who plays Agnese, wanted to live for a month in the area to get to know farmers and inhabitants of the Bassa Ferrarese up close. The filming took place in a wide area between Ferrara and Ravenna. Many scenes were shot in the picturesque Valle Pega, where the protagonists' refuge (built specifically for the film and still present) is located, while Agnese's house was set up in a residence 8 km from Alfonsine.

4. The House with Laughing Windows (1976) by Pupi Avati


È the most famous film shot by Avati in the territory of Comacchio, which became a horror cult in the following years. In addition to Villa Boccaccini (the protagonist house), the streets and monuments of Comacchio also appear, and even the house built for Agnese Goes to Die. Other films by Avati shot in the surroundings: The Stars in the Ditch (1979), filmed in the Valle Bertuzzi, chosen by the director after 10 days of exploration and Graduation Party (1985), where you can recognize the road between Lido delle Nazioni and Lido di Volano, used to represent the Romagna Riviera of the '50s.

5. Beyond the Clouds (1995) by Michelangelo Antonioni and Wim Wenders


Representative work for the areas of Comacchio and the Lidi, è one of the most famous films set in the province of Ferrara. In the film, you can recognize the Loggiato dei Cappuccini and the Church of Santa Maria in Aula Regia, settings of the first of the four stories of the feature film, based on a novel by the same Antonioni. The film has won numerous awards including the David di Donatello for Best Cinematography, the Nastro d’Argento for Music, and theFIPRESCI Prize at the Venice Film Festival.