- HFPA
A Visit with “Da Vinci’s Demons”
by Elmar Biebl (text and photos) A delegation of the HFPA attended the World Premiere of the Starz original series Da Vinci’s Demons April 2nd in Florence, Italy. David S. Goyer, creator and head writer of the series, welcomed an international press corps “to experience life through the eyes of young Leonardo Da Vinci“. Part of the schedule included key landmarks of Da Vinci’s early years:
- His birth place (born April 15, 1452) in the picturesque village of Vinci whose Mayor Dario Parrini invited the visitors to imagine Leonardo’s spirit within the ancient stone buildings of his town
- The Museo Leonardino with an impressive collection of models built according to Da Vinci’s visionary , hand-drafted, technical inventions
- Florence, Tuscany’s Capital with the majestic Duomo (Dome) and the power center of the Medici family, the Palazzo Vecchio
- The Hotel San Michele in the hills of Fiesole with a panoramic view of Florence.
In this Michelangelo-designed former monastery the journalists met with the main characters of the cast: Tom Riley (title role), Laura Haddock, Lara Pulver and Blake Ritson. David S. Goyer pointed out that the pilot was shot in Wales and has already been sold to 120 territories. Goyer, known as the co-writer of The Dark Knight trilogy, added: “The series is not a documentary about the original Rennaissance Man. The series is meant to be an entertaining historical fantasy paying tribute to the legends and myths of the man with one of the most recognizable names on this planet“. HFPA President Aida Takla-O’Reilly thanked the organizers for their hospitality and efforts to introduce the media representatives firsthand “to the fascinating world of one of the greatest geniuses in world history“. Da Vinci’s Demons premieres in the US on April 12.
