Identity of Places, Global View and Film-Induced Journey

Abstract

The journey for movie tourism is induced by the film imagery, a symbolic space loaded with “a certain sense of place” promoted by the aesthetic dramaturgical construction of every work, from which the spectator draws an identity-producing perception related to movie sets – not always precise or corresponding to reality. This experience of a reproduced sense of place, that leads to film-induced tourism and in some cases to the desire of living in those places seen in the films, raises important issues (to be analysed through a psycho-socio-anthropological perspective) with reference to identity and sense of the places themselves – intended also in terms of human geography, which is very sensitive to changes arising from the globalization – that change also according to their use in the movies. The movie tourist usually does not re-experience through the journey what he or she mentalized or imagined during the film experience, or experiences it only sometimes or partly; instead, the real identity of places, as they are when experienced, is discovered with many other features that define the identity and culture of the place. At the same time, through his or her being there, the movie tourist produces changes to the identity and sense of the place itself, especially when performing agentive behaviours or “ritual” practices tied to mass events like conventions or cosplays, by projecting the image of movie characters into the imaginary of the place. The image of the place, therefore, mutates at a global level.