Io Capitano (2023) – Filming Locations
Adventure / Drama · Directed by Matteo Garrone · Starring Issaka Sawadogo
Longing for a brighter future, two Senegalese teenagers embark on a journey from West Africa to Italy. However, between their dreams and reality lies a labyrinth of checkpoints, the Sahara Desert, and the vast waters of the Mediterranean.
Where was Io Capitano filmed?
- Damietta, Egypt, Damietta – Opening sequences establishing the poor coastal town where the two boys begin their journey. The film opens in this impoverished Egyptian port city, establishing the desperate circumstances that motivate the boys' migration journey
- Cairo, Egypt, Cairo – The boys navigate Cairo's bustling streets as they make their way through Egypt toward the Mediterranean. Cairo serves as a transit point in the boys' journey, showcasing the scale and complexity of their passage through Egypt
- Sahara Desert, Egypt, Sahara – Grueling desert crossing sequence where the boys endure extreme conditions and witness tragedy. The vast, unforgiving Sahara represents the physical and psychological trials faced by migrants; Garrone filmed the perilous desert crossing in actual desert conditions
- Agadez, Niger, Agadez – The boys pass through this Nigerien desert hub, a key transit point for migrants heading north. This historic trading city is a real-world smuggling hub; filming here grounds the narrative in the actual migration routes used by African migrants
- Libya – Tripoli Region, Tripoli – The boys arrive in Libya and face exploitation, detention, and trafficking networks. Libya's role as a transit country with notorious detention centers is depicted, reflecting the real dangers migrants encounter
- Mediterranean Sea, off Libya/Tunisia, Mediterranean – The perilous sea crossing attempt where the boys risk their lives on a boat. Filmed on actual Mediterranean waters, the sea crossing sequences document the most dangerous phase of the migration journey