A Star is born! Bop Decameron, Bella Ciao!

Woody Allen is making headline news while shooting in the historic centre of Rome. The star of the shoot yesterday was our loveable traffic cop Pierluigi Marchionne, who no doubt is hoping for financial recognition somewhere along the line, although being an extra in Italy is considered an unpaid honor, I think Marchionne might be looking for something more substantial. Allen had watched Marchionne in action some days earlier and had insisted on the real thing being in his new film, it was not originally in the script. Rome, Piazza Venezia is an exciting place unless you are on foot or on a push bike, to be safe you will do well sitting in an armoured car with a police escort. The traffic in Rome is fast and furious during the day and as a traffic cop you need lungs of steel and a good whistle, they can give the Sicilian Granita Van a run for their money, they use the same tools of the trade to attract attention. Pierluigi Marchionne is a 37 year old Italian from Latina, a town purpose build by Benito Mussolini in the mid 1930s, it leaves little to the imagination and Marchionne escaped to Rome working for the Polizia Municipale (Italian Traffic Police) for a number of years, during a short interview with an excited Marchionne he said ”I had to be the director of traffic, the director of the various scenes meeting at the Piazza, I never in my life expected this” no doubt he will be seeing a lot more traffic at the Piazza from now on, with the amount of local tourism he will be generating. Marchionne was spoken to by Woody Allen in English at all times, not a problem for our man in white as he use to be in the “Foreign Trade” …….. Allen is a hands on director speaking with Marchionne throughout the 8 takes lasting 1.30 hours, there may be more takes in Piazza Venetzia chaps.

Rocco Papaleo, a big resounding ”NO” to Woody Allen

Yep, our much-loved Italian actor Rocco Papaleo has no time for Woody Allen this August, Papaleo did the screen test and was offered a role in Woody Allen’s new film Bella Ciao, Bop Decameron or ? currently shooting in Rome. You will know this Italian as the director and screenwriter of Basilicata Coast to Coast and his latest role as an actor in Nessuno mi puo giudicare, No One Can Judge Me directed by Massimiliano Bruno. Has this usually down to earth actor Papaleo gone all arrogant on us this summer ? No, not at all Woody Allen’s production team was not able to give him and exact filming date he was asked to keep all of August free, Papaleo had promised his son a holiday in August so had to turn Allen down, that is what I call a family man, if Italy does not have a ”Father of the Year Award”  I think it is time they did, we have a clear winner.

Allen has started shooting in Rome and although the name of the film is still up in the air it seems to be going well. What exactly Benigni and Scamarcio are doing in the same film is beyond me and Benigni…. I should not wonder. Perhaps they will not be in the same story line, cannot wait to see the outcome either way. Below a list of possible stars, could change a short notice.

State side: Woody Allan, Alec Baldwin, Penelope Cruz, Judy Davis, Ellen Page, Greta Gerwig and the lovely Jesse Eisenberg

Home front: Roberto Benigni, Antonio Albernese, Riccardo Scamarcio, Ornella Mutti, Alessandro Tiberi, Alison Pill, Flavio Parenti, Alessandra Mastronardi and our opera singer Fabio Armiliato

Bella Ciao, Ciao Bella or Bop Decameron new Woody Allen film

The ever-changing line-up for Woody Allen’s new film with the ever-changing title, has got contracts signed by the following American and Italian Actors.

State side: Woody Allan, Alec Baldwin, Penelope Cruz, Judy Davis, Ellen Page, Greta Gerwig and the lovely Jesse Eisenberg

Home front: Roberto Benigni, Antonio Albernese, Riccardo Scamarcio, Alessandro Tiberi, Alison Pill, Flavio Parenti, Alessandra Mastronardi and our opera singer Fabio Armiliato

Note that just because some have signed and others have not does not mean that they might not in the future, just as the title of the film currently Bella Ciao, Ciao Bella or Bop Decameron might very well become something completely different before shooting starts on the 11th July 2011 in Rome.

“Ciao Bella” not “Bop Decameron” not “The Wrong Picture” Directed by Woody Allan

There are rumors galore here in Italy and they are hot, could have melted the iceberg that collided with the Titanic, had it not been too late. Woody Allan’s new film “Bop Decameron” and not  “The Wrong Picture” as first reported is due to be shot in Rome later this year, will not only be starring Alec Baldwin, Penélope Cruz, Ellen Page and Jesse Eisenberg, now the rumors started by Deadline.com, (I say rumors they may very will be in possession of the true facts) will also be starring Roberto Benigni, who famously won 2 Oscars for Life is Beautiful in 1997 for his role as Guido Orefice and as a director of the film. Will the world be ready for 2 comic geniuses in one production, one driven by heavy dialogue the other by slapstick with a touch of the dramatic, will they gel ? I guess it is a game of wait and see.

Update 14.05.2011

Not just a rumor, Woody Allen has confirmed yesterday at Cannes Film Festival, that Roberto Benigni will not just play a cameo role in his next film “Bop Decameron” it will be a great meaty role, shot in the centre of Rome during the month of August, there will be a number of other great Italian actors too, however no names were mentioned.  The film was first known as “The Wrong Picture” I now hear it will be called “Bop Decameron” what ever they decide to all it I am excited about this film already.

Update 08.06.2011 Ohhh yes there is more:

apart from Roberto Benigni a number of other Italian Actors and an Actress have been confirmed and we have a 3rd possible title for this film too and it has not even started to shoot yet…..Rocco Papaleo, Riccardo Scamarcio, Isabella Ferrari, Sergio Rubini and Massimo Ghini, that is what I call a cassata a really strange mix and I wonder if Roberto Benigni has suddenly had second thoughts as he reads this news, well not mine I am sure others will have pointed this new development out to him, this is going to be some lineup.

Bernardo Bertolucci to receive an award at Cannes.

Bernardo Bertolucci is one of my top ten Italian Directors, a living legend still making films today. He is currently in London where his films are being shown in retrospect. Few of Italy’s current film directors are as famous and esteemed as Bertolucci both home and abroad.

The honorary Palme d’Or will be presented on the 11th May 2011 during the Opening Ceremony of the 64th edition of the Festival. Bertolucci is only the third Director to be awarded this prestigious statute, the first was Woody Allen back in 2002 followed by Clint Eastwood in 2009. Robert di Niro, who stared in Bertolucci’s film Novecento, 1900 will be present at the ceremony, he is this years Top Dog among the Judges. For more information on Bertolucci read on: Bernardo Bertolucci takes on London 06.04.2011

Watch a clip for “The Last Tango in Paris” here