Roberto Benigni is Mastro Geppetto, the woodcarver who creates Pinocchio, in Matteo Garrone‘s live-action version of Carlo Collodi’s children classic. The Oscar-winning actor and the rest of the crew are currently shooting the first scenes of the movie in Sinalunga (Siena), where they will stay for three weeks before going to the other locations in Lazio and finally in Puglia, for six weeks.
Filming has already started at the La Fratta estate near Sinalunga, where the production recreated Geppetto’s town in a sealed-off set. In the next few days, Gigi Proietti will also join the Tuscan set to interpret Mangiafuoco, the giant eyes of embers just, while Massimo Ceccherini and Rocco Papaleo play the cat and the fox and Federico Ielapi in the role of Pinocchio.
After Sinalunga, the whole cast will go to shoot in Lazio, and immediately afterward to Puglia, where they will be filming for 6 weeks in several locations. One of these is the smallest Italian style theater in Europe, in Noicattaro, the stage of which will be used as a set for Mangiafuoco’s puppet shows.
While the Land of Toys, where Pinocchio is convinced by Lucignolo to try the fun ride, will be set in a farm between Ostuni and Fasano. Among the hills above the villages, descending towards the town of Monopoli, there will be the house of The Fairy with Turquoise Hair, near the seaside village where Geppetto looks for Pinocchio. The sea where The Terrible Dogfish swims will be the one in front of Polignano a Mare; and the Murge, Altamura, Gravina, and Spinazzola will be the places where Pinocchio will learn to become a disciplined child.