Shooting began yesterday morning in Watamu on a new Italian film that tells stories of Africa.
By the will of film producer Corrado Azzollini of Draka Production, who is in love with Kenya and sensitive to social and cultural issues, most of "Questa notte parlami dell'Africa" will be set in Watamu, Malindi and its surroundings and, unlike the previous film shot on the Kenyan coast, Checco Zalone's "Tolo Tolo", the locations will be recognisable and mentioned.
The film is based on the novel of the same name by biologist Alessandra Soresina, who has been studying and protecting lions and African mammals for years, and has an excellent cast: from Roberta Mastromichele (Manuale d'amore 1 e 2, Come tu mi vuoi, also known as Matt Dillon's partner) to Corrado Fortuna (Baarìa, Scusate se esisto! I più grandi di tutti), Diane Fleri (Mio fratello è figlio unico), Marlon Joubert (Romulus), with the extraordinary participation of Maria Grazia Cucinotta.
The direction is entrusted to a pair of promising directors, Carolina Boco and Luca La Vopa, who received important awards for the docu-film "Notturno" and are now trying their hand at their first narrative feature film.
Filming will take place partly at the Barracuda Resort in Watamu, but also along the Sabaki River and in other locations in Watamu and Malindi.
Producer Azzollini explains to Malindikenya.net: "I've been dreaming of shooting in Kenya for a long time. I fell in love with Watamu since my first holiday and I've been back several times. So, although the novel was originally set in Tanzania, I decided to bring the film script here. I like the idea of being able to promote the tourist destination".
From this point of view, the distribution agreement for the film, co-produced by Draka Production with Italian Dreams Factory and Seven Dreams Productions by Giulio Violati, in collaboration with BK Produ (Morocco), with the support of the Apulia Film Commission, the collaboration of the Film Commission Kenya, and Air Ethiopian, which will include it in its schedule of flights to and from Africa, is important.
"Questa notte parlami dell'Africa" is a film about the universal value of friendship, in which the meeting between two women becomes the symbol of the two worlds they represent: Europe and the Arab-African world. In the interweaving of stories and feelings, it also talks about poaching and the battles of a group of activists committed to protecting elephants. Three weeks of shooting are planned in Watamu and Malindi, plus two more in Puglia.