What does a history student with a film minor do with a semester in Florence? If you’re Greg Reitman, you discover the Italian cinema masters, fall in love with storytelling, and spend the next three decades building an award-winning career in film. Now the founder of Blue Water Entertainment — an independent production company whose work spans documentary, narrative, and television — Reitman has made it his mission to create films that matter, tackling everything from social justice and poverty to politics and the environment.
We caught up with Greg to talk bicycles, pazienza, and why returning to Florence to shoot a feature film nearly 30 years later felt like coming full circle.
Please share any funny, strange, or embarrassing anecdotes related to cross-cultural adjustment while you were in Florence.
Like many American students, I initially underestimated just how different daily life would be—from mealtimes to transportation to the pace of everything. I vividly remember realizing that nothing ran on “American time,” and that learning patience was as much a lesson as anything in the classroom. It was humbling, occasionally frustrating, and ultimately transformative.
What was your host family situation like?
My host family was wonderful, but they lived about 45 minutes from campus, which made transportation a real challenge. A bicycle quickly became essential—not just for getting to class, but for fully experiencing the city and gaining independence in a place that rewards exploration.
What was it like returning to Florence and Villa Rossa?
Returning to Florence nearly 30 years later to shoot on location for the feature film I had once only imagined was completely surreal. It brought back a flood of memories—friends, moments, and formative experiences. Villa Rossa itself felt unfamiliar in some ways; so much had changed that I barely recognized it, yet the emotional connection was still very much there.
Photos above and below by Johann Haas, on location with Greg in Florence, Summer 2025
You’ve built an impressive career in the film industry since your time in Florence. Did your study abroad experience impact your life afterward?
Absolutely. Studying abroad in Florence changed my life trajectory forever. It was there that I took my first film class and was introduced to the great Italian cinema masters—Vittorio De Sica, Luchino Visconti, Michelangelo Antonioni, Roberto Rossellini, and of course Federico Fellini. That exposure ignited a passion that continues to guide my work today. Florence didn’t just shape my education—it shaped who I became.
Advice for Current Students?
- Say yes more often than you say no—especially to experiences that feel unfamiliar or slightly uncomfortable. The moments that challenge you culturally, creatively, or personally are often the ones that shape you the most.
- Get outside the classroom. Talk to locals, wander without a plan, sit in cafés, go to museums alone, and observe how people live, move, and tell stories. Those lived experiences will teach you as much as any lecture.
- Finally, don’t worry if you don’t yet know your exact path. Pay attention to what excites you, follow your curiosity, and trust that the dots will connect later—often in ways you can’t yet imagine.
Update: Greg’s new screenplay based in Florence is a quarter finalist for Table Read CANNES; semi-finalists will be announced on March 27.