Interview / Luca Argentero: "I, a producer full of ideas"

by Laura Frigerio

His latest film, "A Boss in a Living Room", was a blockbuster for weeks. But Luca Argentero is not only one of the most requested Italian actors, but also an attentive and passionate producer, especially in the mountains. It is no coincidence that his Inside Production has created “Vertical Peril”, an “action reality” broadcast on Sky Uno, in which Luca tells and shows the interventions of the men and women of the mountain rescue of Valle D "Aosta.
We have tried to find out more ...

Let's start with your passion for the mountains ...
I have carried it with me since I was a child. I was practically born in the mountains: my father is in fact a ski instructor, while my uncle (my father's brother) is a mountain guide. Even today part of my family lives in Valle D "Aosta, where we shot our reality show.

So are you a winter sports expert?
Let's say that I tried a little bit of everything, but I still love skiing. Even if I must admit that, since I have my operational base in Rome, I am able to practice it a little less.

But the call of the "high altitude was so strong that it pushed you to create this format ...
It is an "idea that Simone Gandolfo, director and friend of mine, and I started cultivating a few years ago. We wanted to make a fiction, then we realized that the mountain is not often used as a scenery, as it is inaccessible territory, so it could it is worth imagining to follow those who live it every day. Hence the inspiration for creating a container that had reality as its lowest common denominator. Today, if you notice, television schedules are full of real life: this is to meet the needs of the public, who in this particular historical moment, wants to see real people doing real things. So we looked for the interlocutor who was more in tune with our project and here we are in Sky.

How difficult was it to make?
Let's say it was a real challenge, also because it involved shooting at three thousand meters. There was no room for doubts and hesitations: the mountain does not forgive, it is an uncontaminated natural environment, but it has risks and it is she who decides. So we also thank the mountain for allowing us to tell it.

What was it like living in close contact with mountain rescue?
Our troupe lived for two months in the Aosta Valley, during which there were 166 interventions. We were always ready to leave with them, even if we tried not to interfere in any way with the operations.

Happy with the result?
I would say yes. We have overcome great obstacles and getting here excites me, I admit.

What does it mean to be a producer today?
It is not an easy moment and every project, even a short film, represents a productive challenge. A series of resources, including economic ones, are needed to be put in place and it is not always easy to find them. However, I must say that we are a small reality, but one that moves with a frenzy.

Upcoming projects?
A documentary on contemporary art entitled "Space Metropoliz", which is already ready and we hope it will soon find a channel of visibility. Then in production we have another documentary and a web project. In short, there is no shortage of ideas!