«Occhiuto’s Extraordinary Calabria has been revealed once again. The much talked about Sandokan TV series, geolocalized in Calabria only for some sporadic shots, at the very modest sum of eight hundred thousand euros wasted for a fiction that will bring nothing to our region, does nothing but seal the governor’s questionable and misleading methods. And so we learn that Sandokan was filmed mostly in Lazio, Tuscany and in a television studio.” This is what European parliamentarian Pasquale Tridico stated in a note.
«At this point – continues Tridico – we wonder if Occhiuto is aware of this, because it means that he is continuing to make fun of the Calabrians with a fake narrative of reality. Otherwise it is even more serious: in addition to having to in turn receive a mockery, it means that there is no control over public spending. In short, 800 thousand euros for a few shots in wonderful locations that could be advertised much better seems like an offense against decency. This is how European funds for culture are spent, for an Extraordinary Calabria only on the upper floors of the citadel.”
Giannetta: ‘These are the facts, Tridico is there for the chatter’
«The press office of Professor Pasquale Tridico, that little politician who, after misleading us for weeks with the slogan ‘come back, stay, let’s believe it’, has for the umpteenth time abandoned his ‘Calabria, preferring the luxurious leather sofas of Brussels to our Regional Council, continues, as in the election campaign, to make his client look bad, copying from the newspapers and not verifying the news in any way». Thus, in a note, the group leader of Forza Italia in the Regional Council of Calabria, Domenico Giannetta.
«Poor Tridico knows – adds Giannetta – what an economic impact the Sandokan series has already had and will continue to have for our region. Evidently not. We’ll explain it to you. Take notes, him and his press office. The Film Commission’s investment has already developed a multiplier of the direct expenditure that the production company Lux Vide has made in the area, on Calabrian VAT numbers, equal to three million euros. Furthermore, the backlot, which remains the property of the Calabria Region, in addition to being used in the future for future works, for the Sandokan series and for other productions, will constitute the main attractive element for the development of film tourism in the region. Obviously the production involved numerous local workers, the skills of the territory and created a significant impact for the regional economy. The collaboration between public and private bodies and cultural associations has made it possible to guarantee not only the quality of the filming, but also the promotion of the scenic and historical beauties of Calabria. Finally, the promotional value cannot be quantified, as the series has already been sold in 32 countries. These are the facts. For the chatter, as always, there is Tridico and those who copy fake news from other newspapers without verifying anything.”