Go to main content
The Duomo of Florence
Photo © Darren & Brad
Photo © Darren & Brad

6 must-see films shot in Tuscany: trailers and teasers

The beauty of Tuscany’s towns and scenery meets the art of cinema

One does not always have the time or opportunity to travel. In such cases we can let our minds reach out to Tuscany, and certainly films come to the rescue. Wishes and stories come to life in the countryside, villages, art cities and along the Tuscan coast thanks to the mastery of great directors and film professionals.

Let's look together at the best trailers and teasers of films shot in Tuscany so we can choose the next movie to watch (and maybe even the next trip to plan!).

Contents
  • 1.
    A Room with a View
  • 2.
    Life Is Beautiful
  • 3.
    The Overtaking
  • 4.
    Napoleon and Me
  • 5.
    New Moon
  • 6.
    Certified Copy
1.

A Room with a View

James Ivory's film, based on the novel of the same name by E. M. Forster, features Helena Bonham Carter and Daniel Day-Lewis. Winner of three Academy Awards (Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Production Design and Best Costume Design), it is set in Florence. The city is present as a true protagonist, beautiful and romantic: among the various locations we can admire Piazza della Signoria and the Basilica di Santa Croce.

The soundtrack features “O mio babbino caro” from Puccini’s comical opera "Gianni Schicchi", which is also set in Florence.

Camera con vista
1.

Life Is Beautiful

Arezzo provides the setting for this story that blends folklore and upbeat elements to focus on the Holocaust and the fight to find the beauty of a smile even in the hardest of times. Roberto Benigni is probably the most famous Tuscan director in the world, especially since Life is Beautiful won three Oscars (Best Foreign Language Film, Best Actor and Best Music) as well as many other awards. Among the places featured in the film are Piazza Grande, the steps of the Cattedrale dei Santi Donato e Pietro, the Basilica di San Francesco and the café across the street, Caffè dei Costanti.

Life is beautiful
1.

The Overtaking

It is hard not to associate the overtaking with a definite honking sound, as the character played by Vittorio Gassman drives at full speed, bringing along - despite himself - a young student, in the guise of Jean-Louis Trintignant. Dino Risi's masterpiece, in addition to showing us the beautiful streets of deserted Rome at mid-August, takes us to the beach of Castiglioncello, where a splendid Catherine Spaak is waiting for us. The film returns us to the images of the economic boom of the 1960s with fun and irony, but the ending surprises for its tragic nature.

Il sorpasso
1.

Napoleon and Me

Livorno director Paolo Virzì tells us the story of Napoleon confined in exile through the eyes of his librarian, played by Elio Germano. The fate is indeed ironic, as the latter is a fervent Jacobin and dreams of killing the emperor. Halfway between historical film and comedy, N does not actually take us to the island of Elba: the views, the harbor, the beach and the Napoleonic villas actually reveal other Tuscan locations such as Populonia, Baratti beach, Suvereto, Palaia and others.

N - io e Napoleone
1.

New Moon

The impossible love story between young Bella and vampire Edward, which began in Twilight, continues in the film New Moon, directed by Chris Weitz. The book of the same name is set partly in Volterra, but the film was shot in Montepulciano: we can see the main piazza, the town hall, main road known as the Corso and the streets within the walls. The footage also shows the beautiful countryside around Montepulciano and the Temple of San Biagio.

New Moon eng
1.

Certified Copy

“Certified Copy” by Abbas Kiarostami offers endless cause for thought about art and interpersonal relations. The multi-award-winning actor Juliette Binoche lives in Lucignano and most of the film is set in Arezzo. The scenes features rows of Tuscany’s famous cypress trees as well as the region’s hidden treasures. A cornucopia of food is a reminder of how this corner of the world is all about good living, in real life and on the screen.

a certified copy

What’s nearby?

Must-see places, stage-by-stage routes, events and tips for your trip
Events • 5 results
Ideas • 58 results
Itineraries • 18 results
Travelogs • 1 results