For the first time in 18 years, the Italian filmmakers Pupi and Antonio Avati will return this month to the Quad Cities, to shoot part of their ninth film project set in the QC, for a portion of their new thriller, “The Backyard.” The multiple award-winning Avati brothers (Pupi, 85, is director and Antonio, 78, is producer) will be arriving from Rome, Italy with a shooting schedule of Feb. 12 – 17, 2024, in Davenport.

Dennis Hitchcock and Tom Walljasper, the local casting directors, are having an open call, at 6 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 8 at Circa ’21, 1828 3rd Ave., Rock Island. “We are thrilled to be working with the Avatis again,” Denny Hitchcock said. “It’s great fun to be able to hire local actors for film roles. This film is dark, in the tradition of Pupi’s earlier projects. Shooting has been taking place for several weeks in Italy.”