Naman Shrestha
Adapted from the eponymous 2002 novel written by Nick Tosches, Netflix’s ‘In the Hand of Dante’ is a mystery thriller drama movie helmed by Julian Schnabel. Swinging between the 14th century and 21st century, the narrative centers on the handwritten manuscript of Dante Alighieri’s poem titled ‘The Divine Comedy,’ which is found by a notorious mob boss in New York City. The mafia don recruits Nick Tosches, a New York author who is in the middle of a self-imposed exile after the tragic passing of his daughter. Nick is tasked with confirming the authenticity of Dante’s manuscript and stealing the priceless artifact, which is written in his own hand.
In his violent quest, the author is aided by an unpredictable assassin named Louie as they face many dangerous challenges. Meanwhile, in the 14th century, the great Dante seeks inspiration to finish his epic masterpiece. Unknowingly, the two writers’ lives intertwine over time as they search for love, beauty, and the divine. The cast of the crime film is led by the stellar performances from Oscar Isaac, Gal Gadot, Gerard Butler, John Malkovich, Louis Cancelmi, and Sabrina Impacciatore. The back-and-forth between the 14th and 21st centuries is represented through locations, including Italy and the Big Apple, that appropriately complement the visual setting.
In the Hand of Dante Filming Locations
‘In the Hand of Dante’ was primarily filmed across Italy, including Veneto, Sicily, and Lazio. Additional portions were also shot in New York City, New York. From what we can tell, principal photography for the Oscar Isaac starrer got underway in October 2023 and seemingly wrapped up by December of the same year. By shooting most of the drama movie on location in Italy, the makers added a layer of authenticity to the narrative.
Veneto, Italy
A significant chunk of ‘In the Hand of Dante’ was lensed in the Veneto region, in the north-east of Italy. Its capital, Venice, served as a prominent production location, with the production team setting up camp in and around the Marciana National Library at Piazza San Marco, 7, and Forte Sant’Andrea. Several important scenes were also recorded at The Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice, situated at Campo Santa Maria Del Giglio, 2467. Moreover, the Palazzo Rocca Contarini Corfù at Sestiere Dorsoduro, 1057/D, and its nearby streets reportedly feature in numerous scenes.
The cast and crew members also took over the locales of the largest city in Veneto — Verona. For instance, they taped key portions at Archivio di Stato di Verona at Via Santa Teresa, 12, and the Castelvecchio Museum at Corso Castelvecchio, 2. Furthermore, in the city of Padua, the filming unit reportedly made the most of the area in and around the CNR (National Research Council) at Corso Stati Uniti, 4.
Sicily, Italy
For the purpose of shooting, the production team of ‘In the Hand of Dante’ also traveled to the island of Sicily. Multiple streets and neighborhoods in the capital of Sicily — Palermo — were transformed into film sets. To be specific, the port area of Palermo seemingly features in a few important sequences. They also reportedly set up camp in the small town of Partanna, which is situated in the province of Trapani.
Lazio, Italy
In the month of November 2023, Oscar Isaac and the rest of the cast and crew members of ‘In the Hand of Dante’ were spotted shooting many pivotal scenes in the Lazio region. To be specific, the region’s capital, Rome, served as a key production location as the filming unit took over the Formello’s Lux Vide studios, which provides all the necessary amenities, including sound stages, production offices, workshops, and more, to bring the narrative to life. Multiple portions were also reportedly shot in the cities of Tarquinia and Viterbo and the town of Bracciano.
During an interview with Soundsphere Magazine, Oscar Isaac opened up about his process of preparing for the film’s high-demanding performance. Sharing that he enjoyed his time filming in Italy, he added, “For me, there was almost something every night that I would come home, almost something Talmudic about the way that I would prepare at night. I would have Nick Tosches book and Nick’s poetry recordings of him and the Divine Comedy, three different translations in English and then the original Italian. Depending on what we were shooting the next day, derive and divine from these texts to see what would be possible the next day, what maybe we could add in, what we could replace, what could just be there to be able to trust the one or two takes that we would be able to get before the light went, before we had to move on to the next place.”
New York City, New York
In December 2023, the cast and crew members of the Julian Schnabel directorial taped the scenes set in New York City on location. Capturing the hustle and bustle of NYC, the makers added another dimension to the visual narrative. In the establishing shots of the Big Apple, you are likely to spot numerous iconic buildings and landmarks, such as the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park, and Times Square.
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