"Essenz" Chooses Villa Oxford: Filming in the Blenio Valley Has Wrapped Up

Moonbird Pictures, a production company based in the cantons of Basel-Stadt, Basel-Landschaft, and Aargau, specializes in producing short films. Its previous works include “Roman” (2023), “Seis años tres meses y doce días” (2024), and “Guggisbärg” (2025). “Essenz” was directed by Kathrin Wüscher. The project was supported by the municipalities of Acquarossa, Blenio, and Serravalle, as well as by the Ticino Film Commission, and featured extras from the Blenio Valley.

On Tuesday, October 20, during filming, the villa’s owners, Ivana Borgna Nott and Benjamin Nott, opened the set to the public in collaboration with the production team. The evening gave the public the opportunity to watch part of the filming and get an up-close look at the work of a film crew; the Ticino Film Commission also participated in the visit. On the afternoon of October 20, the set was also open to the fourth-grade class from Acquarossa, the La Quercia retirement home, and the Diamante Foundation.

Villa Oxford was built in 1894 at the request of Augusto Gianella, a native of Blenio who had emigrated to London and, upon returning to his homeland, wanted a home inspired by England. After standing empty for several years, it is now the focus of a conservation restoration project: before work began, it served as the setting for “Essenz.” Its story is also told by Voce di Blenio in «Acquarossa, il cinema bussa alla porta di Villa Oxford».

A location discovered through the TFC guide

For about two years, Moonbird Pictures searched for a suitable location for the project before discovering Villa Oxford through the location guide of the Ticino Film Commission. The TFC's online database lists locations and settings available for audiovisual productions, providing production companies with a tool to identify spaces that align with the narrative and visual needs of their projects.

The choice of Villa Oxford demonstrates how mapping locations can facilitate collaboration between film productions and local property owners, bringing new opportunities even in settings that are less conventional than traditional film sets.