The production of the Netflix series “Il Gattopardo” has chosen places that are not simple backgrounds, but authentic protagonists capable of evoking the spirit of an Italy in transformation. The series, in fact, opens on a Sicilian panorama soaked in history and suggestions, where the past and present constantly dialogue. The initial setting recalls an Italy that is leaving the era of the Bourbons behind, a moment in which the ancient social order gives way to new forces. The sets are inspired by historical and imaginative realities. Palermo becomes the fulcrum around which the narrative revolves; But the imaginary Borgo di Donnafugata, despite being an artistic creation, draws inspiration from authentic locations such as Palma di Montechiaro and Santa Margherita Belice.
The Gattopardo: the story shortly to prepare for the Netflix series
The Gattopardo: the locations of the series
The filming of the series began in April 2023 in Rome and continued for over four months, they conducted the team in a real tour of the Italian heritage. In addition to the capital, which has provided interiors full of history and atmosphere, the production has marked the flight to Sicily, touching places such as Palermo, Syracuse and Catania, where every corner seems to keep ancient memories. Turin also offered his contribution, with urban scenarios that recall the elegance and majesty of past times, confirming how the story does not know geographical boundaries. The interiors are, largely, shot in Rome, set up with maniacal attention to detail. Villas and palaces have been furnished with fabrics consumed by time and colors that tell stories of glory now passed. An example of this cure is Villa Parisi in Frascati, who hosted a particularly intense dinner scene, set in the context reworked of the Palazzo di Donnafugata, where the dialogue between soft light and ancient furnishings creates an intimate and nostalgic atmosphere.
In Palermo, the city of the writer Giuseppe Tomasi of Lampedusa, the imposing Palazzo Comitini represented the beating heart of different domestic scenes. Its large room, embellished with frescoes and an elegant floor in typical majolica, has become the ideal scenario for breakfasts and family lunches. In this environment, every detail has been designed to transmit the decadent splendor of a decline nobility. Villa Valguarnera in Bagheria offered a further cross -section of aristocratic elegance, with the of the large gardens and with environments that speak of ancient glories and centuries -old traditions.
We also know that the carriage trip of the protagonist’s family – directed towards an imaginary mountain refuge to escape from the sultry heat of Palermo – was made among the Calanche di Cannizzola, an almost surreal landscape characterized by rocky formations and arid soils that seem carved by the wind, an environment that gives the film a particular light, capable of accentuating the tension between relentless nature and human fragility.
Another scenic metamorphosis is created in Syracuse, precisely in the historic Piazza di Ortigia. Here the scenographers radically transformed the place, reinterpreting it as a typical rural village of the 19th century: ancient buildings and cobbled streets were enriched by vintage details, between historical authenticity and cinematographic fantasy.
The Torinese locations also deserve a mention. Outdoor shooting affected historic areas such as Piazza Carignano, via Carlo Alberto and Piazza Palazzo di Città. The interiors, on the other hand, found space in places of immense historical value, such as the National Museum of the Risorgimento and the classroom of the Chamber of Deputies of the Subalpine Parliament, environments that give the story a solemnity and a certain historical depth.
The Gattopardo: the complete cast
The trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hddimry-shq
