We have interviewed Paolo Lubrano who wrote the book Portandomi dentro questa magia (Bringing this magic inside me) to celebrate the seventy years of Sophia Loren’s career. The first preface of the book is curated by the critic Valerio Caprara, the second by the actress of My brilliant friend, Ludovica Nasti. Loren’s latest work is the film “The Life Ahead”, available on Netflix.

Find out the magnificent places of Pozzuoli and Naples in the words of Paolo Lubrano, author and producer born and raised in Pozzuoli.

Paolo Lubrano has been working in communication for years. He is a big events producer, especially in television. In 2016, he also organized the Ezio Bosso concert at the Macellum of Pozzuoli, as part of the Civitas Award.

First of all, we note the laborious bibliographical research necessary to retrace the stages of Sophia Loren’s career. Portandomi dentro questa magia, visually, is a book enriched by a detailed filmography and accompanied by several photos, including the shots taken at school, where you can try to recognize the diva.

How was the idea of the book about Sophia Loren, Via Solfatara star, born?

«The idea of the book was born because this year marks a very important anniversary regarding the diva’s life: her seventy years of career, a goal that very few other artists in the world have reached. The book is a part of a much larger project that I’m carrying out, but I can’t give you any anticipations about it».

Leafing through your book, you immediately understand that it is a tribute to the actress, but to Pozzuoli too, often described as a city where, frequently, you walk on glass sheets, placed to preserve archaeological remains.

Which is the place you are closest and which you would like to see valued?

«The Rione Terra, cross and delight of all the inhabitants of Pozzuoli, is a place I’m very attached to, but it’s also my torment, because me and all my generation would like to see it accessible and rebuilt».

You tell that Sophia Loren, in ‘85, after the Bradyseism events, came to our city to support her fellow citizens. On that occasion, she donated over 5000 books to the municipal library of his native country, located in the Palazzo Toledo, today attended by a lot of university students.

What is your relationship with reading?

«I love reading. The books of my life are “Memoirs of Hadrian” by Marguerite Yourcenar, “Reunion” by Fred Uhlman, “Siddharta” by Herman Hesse, “Jonathan Livingston Seagull” by Richard Bach and the South American literature, I love Jorge Amado and Gabriel Garcia Marquez».

When, in 2005, the Civitas Award and the citizenship were awarded to Sophia Loren, you were the creator and organizer.

Tell us some anecdotes about this exciting moment.

«At the time, there was an extraordinary council where the honorary citizenship was given to Sophia back. Then there was an international press conference. When she started visiting the Rione Terra archaeological itinerary, that the actress had never seen, halfway, she realized that she no longer had the bag. It was a moment of general panic, the mayor and I went pale, we locked eyes, we risked a diplomatic incident in front of the cameras of half the world. Instead, fortunately, an urban traffic policeman went up to the room where the council had been held. The bag had remained there for the whole time. Luckily, it ended well.

Then there was the visit, it’s useless to say that it was amazing for Sophia to see so much unexpected beauty. We visited some glimpses alone, she and I; we looked out from the terrace overlooking the sea that faces, on the left, on the cliff of Via Napoli, where, as a little girl went to take baths. There she was very moved. She pronounced the famous phrase that then all the newspapers reported: “Maronna, chesta è a terra mia!”, in English we can say “How wonderful! This is my land!” That was a great moment!»

If I think of Sophia Loren, I immediately remember the balcony of Palazzo Pandola in Naples, in Piazza del Gesù Nuovo, shown in a scene of “Marriage Italiana Style”, with Marcello Mastroianni.

In your opinion, what is the film in where she is most iconic?

«The movie I absolutely prefer is “A special day” by Ettore Scola, where Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni are extraordinary. Or “Two Women”, “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow”… There are so many! I think that its origins helped her to reach notoriety. The films that have had a worldwide success are those in which she expressed and valued the way of being Neapolitan, I believe also thanks to his soul, tied to Pozzuoli».