Italia Germania ’44 film production arrives in Jesi

The film “Italia Germania ’44” is currently being filmed in the Marche region of Italy. This regional production depicts a historical event from April 1944: a football match held in Sarnano between German soldiers and local youths during the period of the Resistance.

Filming has taken place at Villa Fontedamo in Jesi, which serves as the setting for both a Nazi garrison barracks and the home of the character Cesare. The location holds historical significance, as the Baldeschi Balleani family once successfully hid the Codex Æsinas, an ancient manuscript by Tacitus, from SS searches led by Himmler.

Actor Francesco Pannofino portrays Cesare, an intellectual and chess player who remains mute throughout the film as a form of protest following the death of his wife at the hands of German forces. In the story, Cesare acts as the coach for the Italian team, tasked with assembling a competitive squad from locals and partisans to face the occupying forces.