Interview with Diego Cavallo, Partner at Panorama Films at Focus London 2025

At Focus London 2025, Fred Film Radio spoke with Diego Cavallo, Partner at Panorama Films, about the role of production service companies, the scale of international projects filming in Italy, and why face-to-face markets still matter.

Supporting Productions on the Ground

Cavallo explained that Panorama Films works as a production service company, supporting international productions at every stage of shooting in Italy. This includes location scouting, liaising with film commissions, providing experienced English-speaking crews, and handling the complex process of applying for Italy’s tax credits. He stressed the importance of trusted local expertise, noting that many of Panorama’s location managers have received international recognition and have worked on major productions ranging from “House of Gucci” to “Succession” and “The White Lotus”.

From Blockbusters to Prestige TV

Reflecting on the company’s recent highlights, Cavallo spoke proudly about working on projects including “Mission: Impossible”, “All the Money in the World” and multiple collaborations with Ridley Scott. He described the experience of filming “Mission: Impossible” in Venice just after lockdown as particularly memorable, with the city almost entirely empty. He also discussed Panorama’s work on the final episodes of “Succession” season three in Tuscany and Lake Como, and on the entirety of “The White Lotus” season two in Sicily, highlighting the close creative collaboration with international teams and the strength of Italian crews, many of whom went on to work together again on later productions.

Why Focus London — and Looking Ahead

Cavallo described Focus London as a valuable opportunity to strengthen relationships that often exist only virtually, allowing people to reconnect face-to-face and put names to emails. While acknowledging the dominance of streaming platforms, he spoke about the continued appeal of both high-quality series and smaller, more challenging independent films. Looking ahead, he expressed cautious curiosity about the role of AI as a tool rather than a threat, and shared his optimism about the health of the Italian industry, pointing to the post-pandemic surge in productions, growing crews, and the lasting impact of screen tourism sparked by shows like “The White Lotus”.