Most of scenes are shot in Greece

Most of the scenes of the film taking place close to the sea or inside the water are shot in Greece, in the island of Amorgos, and even scenes that supposedly take place in Sicily. Apart from the first and final parts of the movie (i.e. the black and white part and the final diving competition), I was surprised to see that scenes like the wreck, the restaurant that Enzo and Jacques eat their pasta, the majority of the diving scenes, even the evening party scene are shot in Amorgos and not in Italy as the film suggests. Furthermore, although we are bombarded with the name of Taormina in Sicily and of "Viva Italia!" screams while the associated depicted scenes take place in Amorgos, the name of Amorgos or Cyclades is nowhere in the film. On the contrary, Amorgos of the 60's is depicted to be inhabited by French, Italians etc that speak English(!) and even the Greek priest speaks English while in Sicily everybody is free to use the name "Italia" or "Benvenuta". Probably the donkey in the first scenes of the film also speaks some kind of esperando. Just to note that in 1965 (time where presumably Enzo and Jacques were in Greece), the island was far from being a popular touristic or professional attraction for foreigners, it was actually used as an exile location, ecpecially during the Greek Junta period (1967-1974). Furthermore, the portrayed profession of diving in order to collect sponges is more widespread in other Greek islands than in Amorgos or Cyclades in general.
Certainly, some of the aforementioned topics are justified by an artistic freedom and I consider that the film is a masterpiece from an aesthetical point of view (especially the final scenes and the end are breathtaking and full of deeper meaning). For all that, I think that a great part of the movie is strongly based on well-rooted prejudices about nationalities (at least its first half) and this influences with a negative way the actual fiction and story.