Pandino Main Square – Piave Memorial
Pandino’s World War I Memorial
In Pandino, the World War I memorial is the location of one of the key scenes in the film. The director has constructed the scene very well, essentially smuggling in the beauty of the Lombardy landscape and the historical landmarks of the area as a backdrop.
Arrival at the Square
The scene begins with the two protagonists arriving on bicycles, with the Visconti Castle, built in 1355, in the background, giving weight to both the image and the message.
A Scene Built on Space and Silence
Oliver Enters the Café
We are presented with a colourful image of a space, the narrow little space that Aciman criticised in himself, and which opens up fully in the picture when Oliver enters the café for a cigarette.
At the end of the scene, when Oliver goes into a neighbouring building to get his prints, the camera follows the gaze of the onlooking Elio. The movement leads him around the colourful houses of the square, and then raises the camera’s “gaze” to the tower of St Margaret’s Church, built in 1791, which is just behind him.
Back to the Visconti Castle
The scene then flashes back to the Visconti Castle behind Elio and Oliver, who continue cycling.
Aciman later spoke about this moment with particular affection. Although he initially feared the weight of the scene, he was relieved to see that the filming lasted only a few minutes for effect — repeated three times for the sake of the shots — even though in the book it required five pages of heavy description and suspense.
“I am the sculptor who carved the statue, but Guadagnino brought it to life.”
— André Aciman
He later admitted that the silences and pauses in the film made the scene just as tense and exciting as the five pages of the book had been for him.
The Piave Memorial Scene
They walk their bikes towards the small World War I memorial in the centre of the square, dedicated to the youth of the town who perished in the Battle of Piave.
Elio:
“If you only knew how little I know about the things that really matter.”
Oliver:
“What things that matter?”
Elio looks him straight in the eye for once, summoning up his courage.
Elio: “You know what things.”
Related filming locations:
– Scenes from Moscazzano
– Wonders of Crema
Featured image: photograph by Artur Dancs
Film stills © Sony Pictures.