That part of the Tiber Valley which is included in the territory of Lazio region is dotted with several villages and towns which have been used over time as filming locations.

Castiglione in Teverina and the adjacent hamlet of Sermugnano were the set of a movie that re-elaborated ancient local stories, making them contemporary: L’Anno Mille (2007), directed by Diego Febbraro. The film director, originating from Sermugnano, once declared that he took inspiration for the movie from the legend of the mercenary giant Herr Mugnen who, in the 11th century, protected the Tiber Valley from looters. Even the name of the village seems to derive from that of the legendary hero.

Monterotondo was the filming location of San Giovanni decollato (1940), interpreted by Totò and directed by Amleto Palermi, and of La bellezza di Ippolita (1962), starring Gina Lollobrigida in the main role, under the direction of Giancarlo Zagni.

Sacrofano’s town center was chosen by Dino Risi for his La nonna Sabella (1957), with a cast of popular actors such as Sylva Koscina, Tina Pica, Renato Salvatori and Peppino De Filippo. Totò, first as a policeman in Totò e Carolina (1954) by Mario Monicelli and then as an aspiring member of parliament in Gli onorevoli (1963) by Sergio Corbucci; the strange couple Johnny Dorelli and Lino Banfi in Dio li fa e poi li accoppia (1982) directed by Steno and again Stefano Fresi, Ambra Angiolini and Serena Rossi in Al posto tuo by Max Croci (2016), were all filmed along the streets and in the squares of Fiano Romano.

I morti non pagano le tasse (1952, directed by Sergio Grieco and featuring Tino Scotti) and Grande grosso e…Verdone (2008, directed and interpreted by Carlo Verdone) were filmed in Morlupo.

Castelnuovo di Porto, the most characteristic filming location in the Tiber Valley, is featured in Man, Woman and Beast (1977) directed by Alberto Cavallone and in A Cat in the Brain (1990) by Lucio Fulci.

 

Photo: Rossella Como and Renato Salvatori on the set of La nonna Sabella by Dino Risi (1957).
©Archivio Fotografico - Cineteca Nazionale Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia 

Written by Franco Grattarola