SCREEN INTERNATIONAL
SEPTEMBER 26 – OCTOBER 2, 2003

Rome
La Dolce Airport

Wander around the 22 stages of the legendary Cinecitta Studios in Rome and you will come across everything from recreations of Ancient Rome and a Tuscan village, to New York City and a submarine. Now another permanent set is about to be added to that fabled collection: an entire mini-airport that will incorporate a terminal concourse, state-of-the-art airplane mock-ups and a business jet.

Cinecitta announced this week it was linking up with Air Hollywood, a Los Angeles-based outfit responsible for supplying aviation standing sets and prop rentals to such shoots as Kill Bill, Intolerable Cruelty and Daredevil. Together they plan to create Europe’s largest aviation-themed facility on the backlot dubbed ‘Hollywood on the Tiber’ in the 1960s.

With terrorist concerns uppermost on people’s minds, the timing could hardly be more opportune. “With the increase in airport and aviation security worldwide, it is almost impossible for film-makers to use real airports or planes on location,” explained Carole Andre-Smith, director of international marketing for Cinecitta Studios. “With Air Hollywood’s expertise, we will provide a filming facility with far more flexibility but all the appearances of the real thing.”