Wednesday, May 21st. My flight is the first to land at the Brindisi Airport in southern Italy. I'm soon joined by still man Giovanbattista Brambilla and production assistant Alez, both from Milan, videographer Leonardo Rossi from Los Angeles, and Lucas Kazan Productions exclusive Jean Franko from Paris. We're all happy to see each other and excited to take part in Kazan's 10th anniversary production.
The location is 80 miles further south, but the van is comfortable and the scenery breathtaking: a mosaic of olive trees, red dirt and white stones. Jean keeps bragging about his GAYVN Award win as Best Actor in a Foreign Release. His second in two years, back to back. Production manager Ettore Tosi informs us that his scene partner, Czech cutie Mark Federico, was in a car accident earlier that day and that Kazan has been looking for a suitable replacement. No easy task, considering 1) Jean's massive equipment; 2) zero mobile coverage at our secluded location; and 3) we're hours away from...everywhere! Newcomer Alessio Mancini saves the day: He's scheduled to arrive with the very last train from Rome, past midnight.
Thursday morning: the sky's partly cloudy. Kazan buys time and instructs Giovanbattista to kick things off with the photo shoots. After lunch - pasta salad, quiches, grilled veggies and ‘pizzette' - we attempt to film outdoors. As always, Kazan shoots each scene over two to three days in a reverse chronological fashion: anal on day 1, oral on day 2: Jean and Alessio are all lubed up, but the many clouds force Kazan to yell "Cut" every other second. Much to everyone's chagrin, day one goes by without a single long take. A hearty dinner at the local trattoria recharges everyone.
Friday: Kazan is on a mission to film outdoors. And who can blame him, with such spectacular views? More valuable time is wasted before he gives up and retreats indoors: safer, warmer, but hardly as...epic. We have just a few hours left to ready the set and get the scene done. Over dinner, the two newest arrivals cheer us up and give us hope for a new beginning and a luckier shoot in the days ahead. Newcomer Daniele Montana (from Rimini) can't keep his eyes off Hungarian Marc Dievo and that's always a good sign, isn't it? Luckily each model has his own bedroom: They won't be able to put their hands on each other, not till cameras roll the next morning.
Monday, May 26th. Scene 3 features Alex Orioli, on loan from Bel Ami, and newcomer Bruno Boni (pictured), a strapping lad from Florence with a body to kill for and dark, seductive eyes. Alex speaks little English, Bruno's luggage was lost by the airline and Kazan has finally settled for indoor filming for the remainder of the shoot (it's the rainiest, coldest spring in the past 200 years here). Everyone's morale's a bit low, but Alex manages to turn things around: on the set with his professionalism - he barely needs directions, off the set by charming and entertaining cast and crew. A juggler, a dancer and a certified masseur, Alex does not spare any of his talents.
Wednesday, May 28th. Bruno is scheduled for a second scene with veteran Matthias Vannelli. As lighting is underway, the pair relaxes poolside. The two of them in the nude, against the blue sky and the quaint cone-shaped cottages is something to behold. So much so, I can't put my behind-the-scenes camera down.
Friday, May 30th. Kazan, Rossi and Tosi head for Sicily for scene 5. I'm due back home and won't stay long enough to savor Brazilian Lucas Andrades and Hungarian Antonio Rinaldi. Nor to sample those Sicilian cannoli everyone is teasing me about.
ORDERING INFO: For distribution, contact Paladin Video at (800) 228-8395. Also visit LucasKazan.com.
