Pierluigi Marchionne, a Roman traffic director on Rome’s arguably busiest piazza, Piazza Venezia, caught Woody Allen’s attention with his fancy gesticulations and got a part in the new film, Bop Decameron. I found this interview with the lucky traffic cop on iltempo.it .
“I really enjoyed it; it was a dream to be directed by Woody Allen. He wanted me to be spontaneous and to be myself.” Nothing easier, since Pierluigi Marchionne, 37 and from Latina, directs traffic in the most famous traffic pedestal in the world, the one on Piazza Venezia in Rome. The American director had no doubt and for the new film that he’s filming in Rome, Bop Decameron, he wanted Pierluigi.
One would call you an actor by chance.
That’s right – I wasn’t expecting it. A few days ago Woody Allen was getting ready for a scene near here. He saw me while I was directing traffic on a pedestal. He liked me. He said that he liked the way that I gestured while I directed the traffic. The incredible thing is that the scene wasn’t part of the script, he added it afterwards. And this morning we went to shoot it.
What did Woody Allen ask you?
He wanted a “traffic director”, in my scene I had to direct the traffic between the different stories that intersect with one another. A kind of role narrated while I do the work that I do every day.
Allen speaks Italian?
No, he only spoke English. But I didn’t have any problems with that. I’ve spoken English for many years. Before I was a municipal policeman I worked in foreign markets.
You can’t help thinking of Otello Celletti, the legendary inflexible and bungling police officer played by Alberto Sordi.
I don’t think that Allen knew that movie. I thought about it, but what I did was much simpler. I was just playing myself.
How long did it take to shoot?
It took eight takes to film the scene, about an hour and a half.
What kind of guy was Woody Allen on the set?
He was very nice. He helped me a lot giving me advice about how to move and how to say the lines. I was impressed by the way that he looked for spontaneity.
Do you like Woody Allen’s movies?
He’s had a long career, and it seems like he’s going through a new phase and he researches the scenes like crazy. I think this new film will be the same style as Vicky Cristina Barcelona.
Will you be in other scenes in the future?
I don’t know yet. Maybe.
Now that you’ve gotten a taste of it, will you make other films?
With Woody Allen I’d do it tomorrow.
I Love Italian Everything 