The Provincial Municipality of Cusco charged S / 150,000 for the use of locations and rental of spaces – such as the Convention Room – to the production companies that record La reina del sur and Transformers.
It is not the substance. More than a thousand people arrived for the filming, taking over hotels, using restaurants and other services. Soon the magical landscapes of Cusco will be seen in various countries where these productions will be exhibited. It will attract more visitors.
The house was arranged well. They changed benches, lanterns, painted facades, improved cables in the urban sites chosen as locations. Juan Carlos Galdós, manager of Economic Development, maintains that there is an important financial movement directly for businesses in Cusco. “We are talking about food, handicrafts, hotels, consumption, tourism, transportation, many services,” he remarked.
YOU CAN SEE: Cusco: Kate del Castillo started recordings in Quispicanchi and Canchis
In addition to actors there are technicians, producers, cameramen, makeup artists, props, security, among others. Local labor was demanded. Transformers hired 600 extras from Cusco for their first day of filming in the Historic Center.
For the president of the Municipal Company of Celebrations of Cusco (Emufec), Fernando Santoyo, this local movement will add 1,000,000 additional soles to what tourism leaves, only in October.
However, the calculations for the Chamber of Commerce are different. They believe that, with the rental of entire hotels, payment to businesses that will close for the days of recording, vehicle rental, tourist circuits they carry out, among other activities, will generate around five million dollars (20 million soles)
In Cusco there is a climate of expectation. The photos of the places chosen as locations flood social networks. Transformers fans roam the streets of the imperial city with their race cars and collectible toy samples are enlisted. Kate del Castillo, protagonist of The Queen of the South, arouses the interest of her fans.
YOU CAN SEE: From this Saturday they will film Transformers in the Historic Center of Cusco
“We are happy. This has restored our pride. There are more local tourists who come here (to the Plaza Mayor) and ask where the movie is going to be filmed. These days I have taken more photos. These recordings have given us hope when we were practically in agony”, Says Víctor Carlos Bedoya, a photographer from the square.
Medium term
For the president of the Chamber of Commerce of Cusco, Edy Cuellar, tourism will triple next year. The appearance of Cusco on the big screen will undoubtedly attract visitors.
“When it was released The secret of the Incas, the visits were substantially reproduced. This time it will be even more because they are two famous productions ”, he highlighted.
The Secret of the Incas is a 1954 adventure film directed by Jerry Hopper and whose protagonist is Charlton Heston, who plays the role of adventurer Harry Steele. This one looks for an ancient Inca object. It was filmed in the city of Cusco and in the ruins of Machupicchu.
YOU CAN SEE: Kate del Castillo, protagonist of The Queen of the South: “Very happy to be here”
“Everything I’ve tried has been delicious. The people are beautiful, the streets, the culture (…) There is a lot of history here that Latinos must know, our brother countries. Do not miss The Queen of the South and come to Cusco, you will have a great time, “said actress Isabella Sierra, who plays the daughter of Teresa Mendoza (Kate del Castillo), star of Queen of the south, the successful Telemundo and Netflix telenovela that is recording its third season.
Sierra’s invitation is key for a city that lives off tourism. Before the pandemic, there were 4,000 visitors a day.
Steven Caple (director) and Anthony Ramos (lead actor) from Transformers: The Awakening of the Beasts, in their social networks, expressed their satisfaction to record in Machupicchu and the archaeological zone of Moray. For Cuellar, those promotions are invaluable. “They show our heritage, our culture, they invite people to visit us and that will surely attract visitors,” he said.
Monumental locations
Machupicchu were chosen by Transformers and La Reina del Sur for their filming. The Decentralized Directorate of Culture and the municipalities monitor each movement to preserve the monumentality and sacredness of both places.
YOU CAN SEE: Transformers moved to Cusco until 1994 for filming
In the case of the Historic Center, there are 23 streets converted into locations: first block from Av El Sol, Almagro, Marquez, Heladeros, Garcilaso, San Juan De Dios, Santa Teresa, Tigre, Plateros, Procuradores, Sweden, Cuesta del Almirante, Santa Catalina Ancha y Angosta, Herrajes, Triunfo, Blankets, Espinar, Arco Iris, Plaza Regocijo, Mirador San Cristóbal and Plaza Nazarenas.
The historian Rossano Calvo emphasizes that they all have in common being patrimonial, with world importance, with history in every inch. Many of them are pedestrianized and Inca architectures.
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