Piccolo Mondo Antico - the film

On set of the 1941 film

I have come across some amazing pictures, taken on location during the filming of "Piccolo Mondo Antico" the film directed by Mario Soldati of probably the most important book of Antonio Fogazzaro. The discovery of the tiny printed photos, in a vault at Villa San Bastiano Fogazzaro, has been a revelation.

We have tentatively attributed them to my mother, Maria Teresa Ceschi a Santa Croce Roi, or possibly a family friend, as she is also depicted in the picture taken at the time of the filming with my great uncle Antonio Roi, at Fogazzaro's villa in Oria, Valsolda on the lake of Lugano, where Fogazzaro spent most of the summer months and where the book is set.

Acting the kiss scene with the two main protagonists of the film Alida Valli - who plays Luisa Rigey Maironi and Massimo Serato - who plays Franco Maironi

The director and Alida Valli

Alida Valli, with my uncle Antonio Roi and my mother in the back ground

Alida Valli waiting to be called on set

The camera crew, directed by Arturo Gallea, getting ready on the typical Northern Lakes boat

The lake boats getting into position

The camera crew on the boat

The kiss. Finally

My great uncle Antonio Roi (who co-produced the film) and my mother at Oria Valsolda during the filming