Sartaj Singh
With Michael Mohan in the director’s chair, ‘Immaculate’ narrates an ominous tale that takes us to an isolated convent in Italy, where a young nun unearths dark secrets about the seemingly ordinary nunnery. Sister Cecilia is a devout young woman who travels to Italy when she is invited by her father to join a convent in the countryside. As she begins to understand the institution’s ways, Cecilia notices disconcerting cultlike practices taking place, such as the soles of the feet of older nuns having the burn marks of a cross. Things get stranger when Cecilia, who is a virgin, discovers she is pregnant.
Hailed as a miracle, the young nun becomes the subject of reverence as well as unholy intentions. Powered by a compelling performance by Sydney Sweeney, the religious horror film is set in the serene Italian countryside. As Cecelia delves deeper into the sacrilegious truths hidden within the nunnery, our perception of the setting shifts from a quaint convent to a horrifying asylum. Given the film’s foreign backdrop and characters, fans of the genre may look to determine precisely where filming for ‘Immaculate’ took place.
Immaculate Filming Locations
‘Immaculate’ was primarily filmed around Rome, Italy, and its hinterlands, which comprise the Rome Metropolitan Area. Principal photography for the film began in late December 2022 and was wrapped up by February 17, 2023. After the completion of filming, Sydney Sweeney, the producer and driving force behind the film, wrote, “I just wrapped the first film I’ve ever produced, Immaculate, with the most amazing cast and crew. I can’t even begin to describe what an amazing experience it’s been these past few months in Rome.” Allow us to take you through the exact locations seen in Sydney Sweeney’s horror movie.
Rome Metropolitan Area, Italy
At the heart of the Lazio region of Italy, Rome and its surrounding areas became the destination chosen for the filming of ‘Immaculate.’ The film was initially meant to be filmed in Ireland, which has its own dark history with the Magdalen convents. However, when director Michael Mohan was brought on board, he suggested shifting the shooting sites to Rome in order to suit the narrative better. The decision was indeed a welcome one, as the Italian capital has historically served as a hub for the Christian religion, especially Catholicism, which is heavily depicted in the film.
The exact locations chosen to create the fictional convent seen in the film are the Villa Parisi and the Palazzo Doria Pamphilj. A palace nestled in central Rome at Via del Corso, 305, the historic structure belongs to the Doria family, which was once one of the most prominent noble families in Italy, with significant influence in politics, commerce, and culture. The palace was built in the 15th century and is known for its expansive art collection and baroque architecture.
The palace’s interiors can be seen in several scenes of the film. When Sister Cecilia is walking in the courtyard of the convent and a nun falls to her death, the entire sequence is shot in the courtyard of Palazzo Doria Pamphilj. As she walks, we can see the grand columns and large vertical windows that surround the palace’s central area. The structure is home to the Galleria Doria Pamphilj, which contains Rome’s largest private art collection. The film crew used its ornate halls and lavish rooms to capture many scenes of the convent’s interior.
When it comes to the nunnery’s exterior and depicting its darker side, the Villa Parisi at Via Mondragone, 2, in Monte Porzio Catone, doubled up as a filming site. Built in 1603 by the governor of Rome at the time, the villa is privately owned and offers its grounds for organizing events and filming. While the property has undergone renovations, it still presents an aged look. The mossy stonework of its outdoor gardens, outer walls overflowing with creepers, weathered structure were perfect for depicting a lonely convent in the Italian countryside. Many of the darker scenes in the film were shot using both the property’s interior and exterior. The Villa Parisi has also served as a filming site for Ridley Scott’s 2013 film, ‘The Vatican.’
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