Celebre “The French Dispatch“ by searching for accidentally Wes Anderson places at the Eternal City.
“The French Dispatch” is in the cinemas (11.11.2021) and its director, Wes Anderson, one of the most renowned directors in Hollywood, amazes us with his iconic aesthetics once again. After reaching a broader audience in 2014, with “The Grand Budapest Hotel,“ Wes Anderson is trying a new live-action big shoot with his lastest movie.
This movie is divided into several episodes explaining the greatest stories published by the small newspaper The French Dispatch. We dive deeper into the world of modern art with Léa Seydoux and Tilda Swinton, go on a bike tour with Owen Wilson, watch a student revolution with Timothée Charlamet and Frances McDormand, and witness a whole kidnapping-clime-arch with Edward Norton and Jeffrey Wright.
More iconic than the episodic storytelling and the distinguishable narrating style, Wes Anderson is famous for the iconic shots and sceneries he creates. Even though working with a tremendous cast of stars, the beautiful locations are what steal the show —whether it is a beautiful pastel Hotel, a very symmetric lonely lighthouse or rooms containing a hundred tints and tones of one color.
Wes Anderson is the hero of finding those places all over the world, and his movies are now creating a movement of people hunting for Wes-Anderson-like settings —gathered under the hashtag #accidentallywesanderson. Already big enough to fill a whole beautiful and a satisfying symmetric book, we came across a lack of roman places. So let’s go for a haunt of a Wes Anderson Tour ourselves and find places that match his iconic view of the world. It is time to have a look around Rome and find spots that could fit the iconic shots of the director.
Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana
Of course the most geometric building in Rome screams for Wes Anderson. The building, which is now the home of the Italian fashion house Fendi, was built in the time of fascism. Following the characteristics of the neoclassical style, it is extremely geometrical, with the ally pointing towards the palace. The almost quadratic building contains a satisfactory atmosphere, and it is hard not to picture a fun chase through its 216 arcades —as every Wes Anderson movie has at least one moment of playing tag.
Foro Italiano/ Coni Piscine
The Foro Italiano is a big sports park in Rome, containing several tennis courts, running tracks and even a swimming pool. Along the way, there are shining white statues framing the orange tracks. The Olympic building of the Coni Piscine is especially shining, bright and colorful, matching the shades of the courts beautifully. No list of Wes Anderson places can survive without a hotel. One of the most famous ones is the Hotel Bernini, located on the Piazza Barberini. The building is quite narrow but tall. In the dark, the famous lettering of the hotel enlightens the street. This hotel matches, especially the new style that we could see in “The French Dispatch”. The movie shows tall and narrow buildings on several occasions, and there is a new special focus on shapes since many of the scenes are shot in black and white.
Galleria Sciarra
The Galleria Sciarra is probably a bit too much for a true #accidentallywesanderson, as the director usually works with plain surfaces layered with different color shades. Still, this gallery always gives a certain movie vibe. The extremely detailed paintings morph into a huge gradient of orange and red, where every single detail complements this beautiful geometric place. Although each story has its own dynamic, it is fascinating to see how the building is combining all kinds of shapes. Not even the pretty ladies smiling from the fresco can beat the astonishing glass-celling filling the room with beautiful natural light.
Hotel Bernini
No list of Wes Anderson places can survive without a hotel. One of the most famous ones is the Hotel Bernini, located on the Piazza Barberini. The building is quite narrow but tall. In the dark, the famous lettering of the hotel enlightens the street. This hotel matches, especially the new style that we could see in “The French Dispatch”. The movie shows tall and narrow buildings on several occasions, and there is a new special focus on shapes since many of the scenes are shot in black and white.
Poste Vaticane
One of the most Wes Anderson spots in Rome is the Poste Vaticane! The bright yellow letters match letterboxes in front of this corner small building. Even the symbol of the Vatican Postservice fits the aesthetic perfectly, as it is simple, but iconic and a little extravagant.
The stage of Teatro Argentina
Wes Anderson is not only a fan of outside buildings, but he also appreciates interior designs. The Teatro Argentina is a classic opera house, but its charm is increasing because of the small audience room. The stage is surrounded by wonderful balconies and red velvet corduroy seats.
Bramante Staircase
The Momo Staircase or Bramante Staircase is one of the most iconic architectures you can find in Rome. It is perfectly lit by small spots of natural light that come through the glass roof. It is placed in the Vatican Museum and was designed by Giuseppe Momo, in 1932, as a modern version of the Bramante Staircase from the 16th Century. The new staircase presents some similarities with the Frank Lloyd Wrights Guggenheim Museum, in New York, since it is also famous for its helical structure. From the room, people can see the large spiral staircase, being perfectly suitable for one of the famous racing sequences almost every Wes Anderson Movie has.
Pastificio of Luciano Cucina Italiana
Luciano is already one of the best restaurants in Rome. The famous pasta dishes are nicely plated and the tiramisu should be one of the best in the city. At this beautiful restaurant, you can also watch the small bakery section through its large beautifully framed windows. Agatha for sure would be very happy to work in this environment!
Streets of Rome
In general, you should pay attention to the streets of the Eternal City since there are many beautiful buildings painted in pastel colors. “The French Dispatched” showed both a new and an older version of the Wes Anderson aesthetic that isn’t as shiny as the “Grand Budapest Hotel”. This opens a door to the numerous steps leading from one road to another or the different window blinds. Even on the streets itself, people can find colorful old cars, such as the classic Fiat 500 model or the tiny three-wheeled trucks that carry daily fresh vegetables to the markets.
