The set of The Odyssey by Christopher Nolan in Favignana

Hollywood circus lands in Favignana: Christopher Nolan is filming The Odyssey in the Egadi Islands, believed to be where Homer imagined Odysseus’ journey.

Hollywood has arrived in grand style: a 500-person crew has effectively taken over the island, where English is now spoken as often as Sicilian. The Florio tuna factory has become entirely off-limits, repurposed as a massive storage depot for props and equipment—just like Cala Rotonda, now completely inaccessible. About a dozen ships—more Viking than Hellenic, truth be told—are moored in the small fishing harbor, alongside a flotilla of high-tech dinghies and a large vessel equipped with a crane for film shooting.

A luxury helicopter hovers constantly above the island, landing and taking off from the Florio site. Access to the castle is blocked, and the entire area is surrounded by temporary structures. At the Calabianca restaurant, Christopher Nolan, Robert Pattinson, and Anne Hathaway are regularly spotted, while Zendaya has been seen strolling through the town center.