The places where the TV movie about Biagio Conte was filmed are extremely symbolic for his life and for the spiritual legacy that this modern Palermo-born Saint Francis, as many have termed him, aimed to leave to his followers (and beyond). On screen, as Brother Biagio’s mission takes shape, the viewer alternates between a sprawling city where good and evil mingle—as often happens with tree-lined avenues and affluent palaces—and the narrow lanes where humanity appears more true to itself, alongside places rich in a simple, genuine spirituality. Let us explore together the locations of Sul cammino di Francesco – La vita di Biagio Conte, airing in prime time on Rai 1 on Sunday October 11 2026.
What it’s about
It is 1990. Biagio, portrayed by Alessio Vassallo, is still just a student from a wealthy Palermo family of entrepreneurs. One day he suddenly decides to leave everything behind and set off on the path of Francis, as the film’s title proclaims: with a backpack on his shoulders he heads toward Assisi. Upon returning, he is no longer the same: he no longer wants to turn away from others’ pain and suffering and, in fact, chooses to share them daily by going to live with the homeless under the porticoes of Palermo’s railway station. Here he encounters people like little Totò and his mother, experiences that illuminate his mission even more: to stand beside the marginalized, a stance he will continue after his death through the Mission of Hope and Charity he founded.
Where the film was shot
Directed by Costanza Quatriglio and produced by Gloria Giorgianni for Anele in collaboration with Rai Fiction, the TV film about Biagio Conte’s life was shot between Palermo and Assisi: two pivotal places in his existence.
Palermo
In Palermo, the shoot covered both popular areas such as the outskirts of the train station, the Ballarò neighborhood with its lively market, and the Kalsa district where the city’s Arab origins are still evident, as well as upscale areas and refined palaces such as Palazzo Marchesi, Palazzo Comitini, the Archbishop’s Palace, and Casa Professa, in a visual metaphor for the choice made by Fratel Biagio.
In the city center, other locations for Sul cammino di Francesco – La vita di Biagio Conte are situated near the opulent Cathedral in Arab-Norman style (specifically in Piazza Sette Angeli).
Just a short distance from the city, the production also filmed along the Mondello seafront: that iconic seaside promenade where Palermitans—and beyond—love to enjoy sunny days.
The Monte Pellegrino, another place of deep spirituality linked to the cult of Santa Rosalia, remains throughout the film a “guardian”—as the director described it—standing motionless in faith with Biagio and his Palermo brothers.
Assisi
The scenes depicting Biagio Conte’s journey to Assisi were filmed on location. In several shots the Santuario di San Damiano is particularly recognizable: here, according to Franciscan tradition, Saint Francis paused to pray after wandering the Umbrian countryside and composed the Canticle of the Creatures. In this same church, just outside the city walls and over time becoming a place of worship frequented by believers from around the world, Saint Clare would later found the order of the Poor Clares and perform some of her most significant miracles.
