From May 25th to June 16th, the Civic Gallery of Desenzano del Garda will host an exhibition dedicated to the extraordinary history of Lake Garda as an international film location. Created in collaboration with the Lions Club Colli Morenici, Lions Club Desenzano Lago, and Lions Club Sirmione, this exhibition celebrates the role of the lake as the backdrop for numerous national and international films, offering an in-depth look at a lesser-known but fascinating aspect of its history.
Lake Garda, known for its breathtaking landscapes and rich history, has also been an important international film location. It’s not just about the famous James Bond films or the Italian comedies of Leonardo Pieraccioni, but a past that has seen the lake as the protagonist of numerous film genres, from dramas to thrillers, from horror to anarchic experiments, and even pirate films.
Not many remember that in the 1960s, Peschiera del Garda was home to a kind of small “Cinecittà” on the water. This lakeside village became a preferred location for filmmakers who wanted to escape the strict rules of the Roman film system. The nearby Pozzolengo was the set of one of the most poetic films in Italian cinema history.
Franco Piavoli, Bruno Gaburro, Augusto Tretti, and Angio Zane are four directors who have significantly contributed to transforming locations like Salò, Lazise, and Manerba into real film sets. Their creativity and dedication have left an indelible mark on the cinematic history of Lake Garda.
Another incredible story is that of Walter Bertolazzi, who in 1958 managed to transport the ship “Circe” from Fiumicino to Desenzano. This ship, initially intended to become a restaurant, was instead converted into a film set and became part of the Bertolazzi Film fleet. This episode underlines the importance of Lake Garda as a place of innovation and experimentation in cinema.
Numerous great Italian and international actors have filmed movies on Lake Garda. Monica Vitti was immortalized in Punta San Vigilio and Riva del Garda, while Marcello Mastroianni acted in Gargnano. Mariangela Melato was filmed on Isola del Garda, and Ugo Tognazzi and Claudia Cardinale worked at the Grand Hotel in Gardone Riviera. More recently, Timothèe Chalamet filmed in Sirmione for Luca Guadagnino’s “Call Me by Your Name,” and Daniel Craig was the protagonist of a breathtaking chase on the Gardesana road in “Quantum of Solace.”
This exhibition aims to retrace the history of Lake Garda as a film set through a collection of approximately sixty films produced from the 1930s onwards. The goal is to keep alive the interest in our territory, celebrating an almost forgotten chapter of our rich cultural heritage.
Italian Version
