George Clooney and the cast of Treasure Hunters have received personal permission to take photos against the backdrop of the Last Supper fresco by Leonardo from the chief ranger.
A memorable photo that not all tourists can afford: George Clooney and most of the cast of his new film “Treasure Hunters” against the backdrop of “Last Supper” by Leonardo Da Vinci in the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. A popular actor and director arrived in Italy for a presentation at the Uci Cinemas Cinema in Pioltello of his film, which tells about the salvation of works of art during the Second World War that were in danger of destruction by German soldiers. In the filming, in addition to Clooney himself, Matt Damon, Bill Murray, Jean Dujardin, John Goodman participated.
After the film premiere at the Berlinale film festival in Berlin on Monday afternoon, the actors flew to Milan and did not miss the chance to admire the Last Supper of the unrivaled Leonardo. Well, take a couple of photos.
High permission
For ordinary tourists, photography in the temple is strictly forbidden, because a flash can harm an old fresco. To be photographed against the background of the picture, you must obtain permission from the head of the Architectural Property, as happened in July 2010, when Silvio Berlusconi was photographed there along with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
At the same time, the actors did not encounter any obstacles: the head Alberto Artioli personally escorted them to the refectory of the church, where the fresco is located, and granted permission for the shooting.
“From my point of view, these photos are a kind of communication tool that unites visitors from all over the world,” commented Artioli. “These images promote the Last Supper on a global level and benefit the Italian cultural system.”
Reasoning
Clooney's film primarily carries the idea of the need to preserve works of art. “Facing the mural, I recalled a scene from a film in which Milanese risk their lives to save The Last Supper. I wondered how significant this sacrifice was,” Matt Damon, a close friend of Clooney, told reporters. “Hitler didn’t just rob, he sought to destroy any work of art in order to deprive people of their culture. We know where they came from, thanks to cave paintings - and we must remember this in difficult times.”
Visit
The director and his acting group were in the room for about half an hour. They talked with the author of the book, according to which the film was made, and the last surviving real "Treasure Hunter."
During the shooting, all necessary precautions were observed, including a sufficiently large distance to the mural and filters on lighting fixtures.
An ordinary tourist will not be able to provide this level of security. By the way, permission to shoot the Last Supper is granted ten times a year to people photographing a picture for various articles, books on the history of art, documentaries and other things.
