Almería became a magical and natural film set, where the main film production companies moved, attracted by its singular and unique landscape, along with the “color of Almería”: the Tabernas Desert, the Cabo de Gata Natural Park, highlighting , above all, the coves of Mónsul and Genoveses. People such as Níjar, Mojácar, Uleila del Campo, among others, have even been “protagonists” of international cinematography, without forgetting those of our capital such as the Nicolás Salmerón Park, the Plaza de la Catedral, the Plaza de la Constitución or the School. of Arts.
The capital, along with the Almeria landscape of all the towns of the province, became emblematic places for the filming of films that remain in our memory, such as “Patton”, “Indiana Jones and the last crusade”, “Lawrence of Arabia ”or“ The Wind and the Lion ”. “Patton” was a blockbuster that chose several settings for its filming, in the capital, among others, the Nicolas Salmerón Park and the scene of the tanks in the Cathedral Square, at the triumphal entry of the allied troops to the city of Messina. .
Of all the films named, Lawrence de Árabia was the first blockbuster in Almería shot in 1962. The last blockbuster of great success was “Exodus” in October 2013, centered on the figure of Moisés. A film directed by Ridley Scott. The exterior shootings were shot 70% in the province of Almería. The locations were Pechina (near the Baños de Sierra Alhamilla) where some sets were made expressly for the film, and which were later used for the series “Game of Thrones”, a series that was also recorded in the Alcazaba. A scene that remains in the minds of film lovers and experts is the Oasis of the Rambla de Tabernas from the movie Lawrence of Arabia.
As for directors, mention David Lean, George Cukor, Sergio Leone, Richard Lester or Steven Spielberg. The arrival of the famous in Almería captured the attention of the national and foreign media who came to cover the filming; This generated a free promotion of our land outside our borders. The film production employed many professionals in the history of Spanish cinema and people on the street who were suddenly introduced to the world of entertainment: the famous extras, along with the specialists who dubbed the main actor in the stunts . Almost all of Almería in those times worked as an extra, which resulted in an increase in its economy, with the taxi drivers’ union being one of the great beneficiaries in film shootings.
The mythical John Lennon also came as an actor to Almería and lived at the Finca Cortijo Romero-Balmas for a short time in 1966, to shoot the movie “How I won the War”, under the orders of Richard Lester, a war film with an ironic-humorous touch; Celebrating in said house with his first wife Cinthia and other guests, his 26th birthday.
Focusing on La Casa del Cine, we enter the hall and get into the world of celluloid, welcoming its first owner, Salvador Balmas, who interactively and sitting in a chair will remind us of “the boom” of Cinema in Almería. This area is majestic, with elegant stairs that lead to the first floor.
The first floor is dedicated to John Lennon, highlighting his bedroom-room, with the belongings from the movie that he shot and a bathroom with a guitar in the bathtub and the lyrics of the chorus of the song that he began to compose in that place: Strawberry Fields Forever.
The old Finca-Cortijo de la Familia Romero-Balmas, built in 1866, is located on Calle Romero, in front of Residencial Villablanca (Los Molinos area) and close to La Salle-Chocillas school. It was built in 1866 for the Catalan merchant Salvador Balmas, but when his daughter Josefina married José Romero (a merchant with England) the original building was expanded at the beginning of the 20th century, adopting his four children as the first surname Romero-Balmas, a of the denominations of the House (also known as Cortijo Romero, Casa de la Torre or Finca Santa Isabel).
The exterior volume of La Casa and its gardens, has a very peculiar appearance with the tower that characterizes it and the viewpoints and roofs typical of the time in which it was built. The stately character House was considered a large Finca-Cortijo with a large area of land around it: gardens, ponds and pavilions decorated it for the use and enjoyment of the bourgeoisie. Its enormous extension reached up to what were the facilities of the Mines of Gádor. At present, the entire exterior facade of the House and its gardens, make it a spectacular environment, worthy of being photographed.
In the 80s and 90s of the last century, after being abandoned for many years, the Almería City Council restored it and turned it into a “Casa del Cine”, being inaugurated in January 2011. With the magnificent rehabilitation of the Casa Romero-Balmas, Through a “House” Almería was able to regain the splendor of yesteryear in the world of cinematography. “ALMERIA TIERRA DE CINE” is a key point in the Almeria Culture, becoming a reality with the International Film Festival (FICAL) that every year is acquiring greater relevance organized by the Almería Provincial Council in collaboration with the Capital City Council. Today it can be visited in its established time slot, becoming a resource of great importance within the tourist and cultural offer of the city and forming part of the Network of Municipal Museum Spaces.
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