1 - L'avventura (1960)

Summary

The birth of L'avventura, one of the most celebrated films in Italian cinema history, was not an easy one. From the very beginning, the production was beset with enormous problems. The island that served as the cast and crew's base of operations was without electricity or hot water, and the bad weather caused so many delays that scenes set in the summer ended up being filmed in the winter. The actors in particular found these hardships difficult to bear. Lea Massari, who plays Anna, suffered a heart attack during shooting and was in a coma for two days. The weather also made the crossing to Lisca Bianca, the deserted rocky island where much of the film was shot, a frightening “adventure” of its own. One evening, the area was threatened by a tornado, and when the sea became too rough, some of the company had to spend the night in the makeshift fisherman's hut – as do the characters in the film – while the others huddled in the few available tents.

There were problems of a different sort as well. The firm providing the financial wherewithal, Imeria, suddenly went bankrupt, and after five weeks without a paycheck – the owner of the hotel and restaurant refused to let the groups leave the island until their bill was paid – the crew went on strike.