by InTrieste
Filming has begun in Friuli Venezia Giulia on Memorie di un marciatore (Memories of a Racewalker), a period drama inspired by the life of Olympic champion Abdon Pamich. Production started on November 3 in Trieste and will continue for five weeks across the region, including locations in Udine. The project is produced by Clemart with support from the FVG Film Commission – PromoTurismoFVG.
Pamich, born in Fiume (today Rijeka, Croatia), is remembered as one of Italy’s greatest racewalkers, earning a gold medal at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and becoming a symbol of discipline and perseverance. The film blends personal memory with a broader reflection on regional identity, aiming to highlight the historical and cultural ties that shape Friuli Venezia Giulia.
One of the principal filming sites is the former refugee camp at Padriciano, near Trieste, a location historically linked to the post-World War II exodus from Istria, Fiume and Dalmatia. The Regional Institute for Istrian-Fiuman-Dalmatian Culture and the Padriciano Museum facilitated access to the area, bringing historical context to the production.
The film is directed by Alessandro Casale, who studied political science at the University of Turin with a focus on film history. Casale has worked in Italian cinema and television for more than two decades, collaborating as an assistant director with filmmakers including Ferzan Ozpetek, Daniele Ciprì and Francesca Comencini. He later directed units for several major Italian series and served as principal director on eight episodes of the third season of Tutto può succedere on Rai Uno.
The production adds to a growing list of audiovisual projects choosing Friuli Venezia Giulia as a base, reflecting the region’s expanding film infrastructure and the coordinated efforts of local institutions, industry professionals and the film commission.
