October the 22nd, 2022 - Croatia is often the backdrop of a variety of films, hit series and commercials, and filming in Zagreb is once again causing problems for those of us who live here, especially road users who are growing a bit tired of important roads being blocked off.

Owing to the filming of the likes of high speed car chase scenes, some roads are going to be off limits once again, with problems beginning for the capital's drivers as soon as today.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, filming in Zagreb currently involves famous actress Kate Beckinsale who plays the main role in the upcoming film, according to a report from Dnevnik.

The action thriller "Canary Black" was supposed to be filmed in the Czech capital city of Prague, but since that failed, the most similar locations were searched for. "There weren't many options, we considered Greece, Turkey, Serbia... but we chose Croatia," said producer Carsten H.W. Lorenz, who revealed that parts of this film will also be shot in Rovinj, which will "play" Tokyo.

Lorenz apologized in advance that he would have to block traffic for certain scenes being filmed in Zagreb, such as car chases.

"A lot of preparation and safety measures are necessary when shooting action scenes, we have to take care of every detail, not even a dog is allowed to run onto the set because it is too dangerous," he said.

Judging by the permit that the City of Zagreb gave the production company for the use of several of the city's often busy public areas, filming will last until the end of January 2023. Until then, residents of the capital can once again expect occasional road closures and problems with transportation on a number of important city roads.

As of today (Saturday, October the 22nd), there will be a change for the 150 bus like, ZET reported. "From 07:00 until 19:00, that bus line will run along the Tuskanac Garage - Ilirski trg route, due to the filming in Zagreb and the current ban on traffic in Radiceva street". Bus users were asked for their understanding of the change.

You can see the entire list of Zagreb city streets and public areas where the film will be shot until January the 31st, 2023, by clicking here.

The City of Zagreb will receive compensation in the amount of 103,000.00 kuna, or 13,670.45 euros, for the service of assigning filming locations across the city, it was announced.

For more, make sure to keep up with our dedicated news section.

September the 22nd, 2022 - The European Film Academy has thrown the most famous Croatian street of all, Dubrovnik's gorgeous Stradun, into the limelight.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the European Film Academy is expanding its scope and promoting European films from classics to contemporary titles, celebrating the richness and diversity of Europe's incredible film heritage. From this year on, the Academy will also focus on special anniversaries and thematic programmes related to European film.

With this aim, it founded a new department for European film heritage, under the leadership of Pascal Edelmann. One of the first steps is to start building a pan-European network of film heritage that will connect cinematheques, film archives and institutions in order to exchange information about the anniversaries of film artists, individual films, institutions or specific topics relevant to the history of cinema in different European countries and regions.

22 new locations were added to the "Treasures of European Film Culture" list

One of the first activities of the new department, ahead of this year's 35th European Film Awards, was to add 22 new places to the list of "Treasures of European Film Culture", which will bring the total number of ''heritage locations'' to 35. This is the Academy's list of places of symbolic importance for European cinema, that is, places of historical value that should be maintained and protected, both in the present and for the benefit of future generations.

"Instead of limiting our activities to the organisation of the European Film Awards, the European Film Academy will also embrace European film history and individuals who have contributed to the European film scene. This will lead to new projects with exciting partners, but also become recognisable in all the programmes we're going to organise during the year. I'm particularly proud of the ever-growing list of treasures of European film culture, especially in new locations in parts of Europe that haven't been included before, such as Croatia, Denmark, Greece, Latvia and Scotland. Our desire is to find new locations every year," says the director of the European Film Academy, Matthijs Wouter Knol.

The most famous Croatian street - Stradun - as a film set

In its hundred-year film history, Dubrovnik's beautiful streets, walls and palaces have all been an inspiration to numerous creators and artists. The unique preservation of the architectural harmony of Dubrovnik, especially its main street, Stradun, known as the most famous Croatian street, easily allows for a variety of cinematic expression.

Although the most famous Croatian street of all has starred in many a ''moving picture'' throughout many years, in much more recent times, the popularisation of Dubrovnik as a film location saw spaceships from a distant galaxy fly over Stradun (Star Wars: The Last Jedi, 2017) as well as rebels led by Nottingham's hero Robin Hood march through it (Robin Hood, 2018). All of them were attracted by the warmth and light of Stradun, Dubrovnik's living room, where everyone feels at home.

You can view all 35 locations from the "Treasures of European Culture" list here.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

March 1st, 2022 - The exact locations remain unknown for now, but it's rumoured that Netflix is filming the next season of its hit fantasy series in Italy, Slovenia and Croatia

The third season of the Netflix fantasy series The Witcher might film in Croatia, reports Index.hr. ‘Might’ being the key word, as the streaming giant hasn’t yet made any official statements regarding the film locations for the upcoming season of its hit series.

The announcement comes from Redanian Intelligence, a fansite specialising in news concerning The Witcher on Netflix.

‘We have learned that Season 3 of The Witcher will film in Italy, Slovenia and Croatia. Filming is to start at the beginning of March in the Italian province of South Tyrol (Province of Bolzano), then move further east to Slovenia. Finally, filming will move to Croatia for about 10 days at the very end of March until early April’, the article reads.

The exact locations remain unknown for now. In support of the theory, it’s been pointed out that the lead actress Freya Allan had already arrived in Italy, where she recently attended a Versace fashion show in Milan. Who knows? She might be heading to a film set next.

Speculations aside, the Croatian Audio-Visual Centre (HAVC) didn’t have any information to share in regards to The Witcher joining the ranks of TV hits filmed in Croatia.

They have, however, confirmed that there’s great interest in Croatia as a film location.

‘We’re expecting many productions this year, but I can’t speak of titles. What I can say is that we’ve had over 200 million kuna brought in by foreign productions last year, and this year we’re already expecting 300 million. The outlook is great, we’re rated high as a film location’, said Tanja Ladović Blažević of the HAVC.

As things stand, Netflix filming its hit series in Croatia is a rumour at best. But let us indulge in a bit of wishful thinking: if it were to happen, it could bring on a new wave of film tourism in Croatia now that the Game of Thrones craze has died down.

March 1st, 2022 - Croatia continues to rank high on lists of notable filming locations, mostly owing to its Game of Thrones fame

Interest in Croatia as a filming location has only been increasing as of late: the country hosted over 20 international productions in the first half of 2021 alone. Several hits filmed in Croatia such as The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard and Bliss were released last year, and the Netflix thriller The Weekend Away, largely filmed in Split, is set to premiere this week.

It’s no secret that Croatia has benefited considerably from film-induced tourism, mostly owing to its Game of Thrones fame. As reported by Morski.hr, Croatia ranks third on the list of eight destinations that generated substantial income from tourism, compiled by Unforgettable Croatia.

London tops the list, as the eight Harry Potter films drove so much tourist traffic, it generated a mind-boggling income of $5,3 billion in total. New Zealand follows with $1,3 billion generated by film tourism, brought in by the cult classics The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

Croatia ranks third thanks to Dubrovnik and its Game of Thrones fame - no surprises there. Fans of the massively popular TV series were flocking to Dubrovnik in droves soon after the walled city made its debut on screen as King’s Landing, resulting in a total of $203 million generated from Game of Thrones-induced tourism between 2013 and 2018.

Here’s how Croatia ranks compared to other destinations that benefited the most from film tourism (in USD):

1. London, England / Harry Potter – 5,3 billion
2. Waikato, New Zealand / The Hobbit & LOTR – 1,6 billion
3. Dubrovnik, Croatia / Game of Thrones – 203 million
4. Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA / Breaking Bad – 70 million
5. Stirling, Scotland / Braveheart – 47 million
6. Forks, Washington, USA / Twilight – 46,2 million
7. Kho Phi Phi Leh, Thailand / The Beach – 13 million
8. Skellig Michael, Ireland / Star Wars – 4,5 million

Check out our list of filming locations in Croatia beyond Game of Thrones. 

14 February 2022 - With its breathtaking architecture and a variety of natural wonders, ranging from the turquoise waters of the coast to lush natural parks, it is no surprise that Croatia is one of the most popular film settings in the global entertainment scene. A look at Croatian film locations around the country. 

Naturally, we simply cannot discuss filming sites in Croatia without bringing up Game of Thrones. For almost a decade, the series captivated international audiences with its depiction of dragons, kingdom politics, and white walkers, with later seasons drawing almost 32.8 million viewers per episode worldwide.

Yet beyond Cersei Lannister’s walk of atonement down the Jesuit Stairs or the Tyrells counseling Sansa Stark in the Trsteno Arboretum, lie other stunning locations that you may not have known were filmed in Croatia.

Trsteno Arboretum. Dubrovnik Tourism Board/Facebook

This Valentine’s Day, if you’re looking for inspiration for your next vacation, we highlight 7 additional international movies and television series set in Croatia to add to your list of “must-sees”.

1. The Weekend Away (2022)

Starting with the upcoming Netflix thriller set to premiere March 3rd, The Weekend Away, starring Leighton Meester of “Gossip Girl” fame.

Diocletian's Palace, Split. Netflix/Screenshot

The trailer heavily features scenes in Split’s Diocletian's Palace, showcasing the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The palace was built with local limestone and marble from nearby island Brač for Roman emperor Diocletian in the fourth century AD.

Downtown, Split. Netflix/Screenshot

Several scenes were also filmed in downtown Split and along Firule beach.

The film is adapted from the best-selling novel of the same name by Sarah Alderson. It follows Beth and Kate, best friends who plan a weekend getaway to Croatia. In a twist of fate, Kate ends up dead while Beth becomes the prime suspect. Whilst Beth fights to prove her innocence, painful secrets are uncovered along the way.

2. The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard (2021)

As a sequel to The Hitman’s Bodyguard (2017), bodyguard Michael Bryce and hitman Darius Kincaid team up again for another life-threatening mission in The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard.

Backdrop, city of Rovinj. Lionsgate/Screenshot

The charming town of Rovinj, on the Istrian Coast of Croatia, doubled for various Italian settings along the Amalfi Coast.

There was also an impressively planned stunt scene staged where a van, pursued by an SUV, drives down steps in the port city of Rijeka.

Steps of Rijeka. Lionsgate/Screenshot.

According to imdb.com, stunt coordinator Greg Powell explained that they “were often under a lot of restrictions because of the narrow streets and shiny cobbled surfaces, which are slippery as hell, especially when damp”. He added that “we'd have scenes that called for us to be speeding around corners, but we literally couldn't”

3. Bliss (2021)

Protagonist Greg, while down on his luck, meets a mysterious woman, Isabel. Is she real or just a fantasy? As he struggles to make a distinction, we are left to question whether he is caught in a complex computer simulation, or merely experiencing a drug-induced hallucination.

Galerija Meštrović, Split. Amazon studios/Screenshot.

To portray this fantasy world, several locations were filmed in Split and on the island of Lopud, Croatia

Marjan stairs, Split. Amazon Studios/Screenshot.

4. Succession (2018 - present)

This 7-time Emmy award-winning HBO series centers on the Roys, a highly dysfunctional family that owns global entertainment conglomerate Waystar RoyCo. The declining health of the family's patriarch, Logan Roy, ignites an endless fight for power and control.

In the Season 2 finale, scenes portrayed the Roys on vacation along the Croatian coast aboard a luxury yacht.

The Roys on vacation. HBO Max/Screenshot

Season 2 finale. HBO Max/Screenshot

Filming took place in July 2019 and lasted 12 days as the crew traveled around Cavtat, a picturesque region south of Dubrovnik, and the islands of Korčula, Mljet, and Šipan.

Shooting also took place at locations around Zagreb and Rijeka.

5. Mamma Mia: Here we go again (2018)

Returning to where it all began, Donna looks back on her fun and adventure-filled young life as we rediscover the moments where she meets Sophie’s three possible dads.

One of Sophie’s possible dads, played by Colin Firth, arriving in the port of Vis. Universal Pictures/Screenshot

Although the movie was supposed to be set in Greece (fictional island of Kalokairi), filming almost exclusively took place in several locations on the exquisite Croatian island of Vis including Vis harbor, St. Jeronim (St. Jerome) Church, Stiniva, Srebrna, and Barjoška bays.

Fun fact from imdb.com, actors Hugh Skinner, Jeremy Irvine, and Josh Dylan, who played Harry, Sam, and Bill's younger counterparts, lived together in a Croatian villa while filming for 6 weeks. Josh Dylan also arrived in the country 2 weeks earlier to learn how to sail.

6. Robin Hood (2018)

Actors Taron Egerton and Jamie Foxx take on the roles of Robin Hood and Little John in a movie remake of the classic tale that combines historical accuracy, contemporary and futuristic elements to achieve its unique take.

Filming began in February 2017 and lasted over 4 months between different primary locations in Dubrovnik, Croatia, and Raincy, France.

Enhanced aerial shot of Dubrovnik. Lionsgate/Screenshot

Incident alert! While filming in Dubrovnik, Jamie Foxx was harassed by two drunk locals while having dinner at a restaurant. The men were immediately thrown out by the manager, and police subsequently pursued misdemeanor charges. They were later fined and jailed. Despite this negative isolated incident, Jamie Foxx went on to say that the beauty of the country continued to “blow his mind” and is a “dream come true”.

7. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)

This might be a hard one for fans to spot, but several scenes of Dubrovnik, Croatia make a cameo in the landscape of Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

Stradun, downtown Dubrovnik. Dubrovnik tourism board/Facebook

Without the special effects and digital rendering, you might be able to recognize downtown Dubrovnik as the fictional city of Canto Bight. Portrayed as an interstellar entertainment and nightlife hotspot, the design of Canto Bight was inspired by the city of Monaco.

Star Wars The Last Jedi, Canto Bight chase scene. Disney/Screenshot

The explosive chase scene where Finn and Rose escape from Canto Bight prison while riding a Fathier, was also filmed on the main street of Dubrovnik.

For everything you need to know about filming in Croatia, in your language, be sure to check Total Croatia's page.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

February 10, 2022 - Split city center and Diocletian's Palace will serve as main locations for the new Netflix crime film "The Weekend Away" starring actress and "Gossip Girl" star Leighton Meester. Its first trailer was released yesterday and the film will be available on the streaming platform on March 3.

''The Weekend Away'' is the new Netflix crime film and will premiere on the popular streaming platform on March 3 this year. The protagonist is none other than Leighton Meester, world-renowned for her leading role in the youth series ''Gossip Girl'', where she played Blair Waldorf.

Netflix/Screenshot

Meester began her acting career at a very young age, appearing in guest roles on well-known series such as ''Law and Order'', ''24'', ''Entourage'', or ''House'' until reaching the top of the fame in 2007 in ''Gossip Girl''. Along the way, she has also appeared in romantic movies and comedies. Now, the American actress joins a new project with a more serious facet.

Netflix/Screenshot

The movie follows two best friends, Beth and Kate, who plan a weekend getaway to Croatia to escape the problems of their everyday lives. But things take a turn for the worse when Kate ends up dead. With eyes on Beth as the prime suspect, Beth must fight to prove her innocence. But along the way, she discovers a painful truth.

Netflix/Screenshot

The film is adapted from the best-selling novel titled the same name by Sarah Alderson. Alderson wrote the script with Kim Farrant as director. Ben Pugh, Charlie Morrison, and Erica Steinberg produced the film as part of their deal with Netflix. Joining Leighton Meester in her first major role in three years, are Christina Wolfe, Luke Norris, Ziad Bakri, and Croatian actor Amar Bukvić.

You can watch the official trailer, which was released yesterday, below:

For everything you need to know about filming in Croatia, in your language, be sure to check Total Croatia's page.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

January the 27th, 2022 - The Pearl of the Adriatic, Croatia's tourist Mecca... whatever you want to call it... Dubrovnik has been a filming destination for large companies from across the world for several years now. With Robin Hood, Game of Thrones and Star Wars under its belt, a new series of the popular series Jack Ryan is allegedly set to be filmed in Dubrovnik next.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, Croatia's stunning southernmost city will be the backdrop for yet another mega-popular series, as Dnevnik Nova TV found out, as the new season of the Jack Ryan series will be filmed in Dubrovnik. The star of this action thriller is John Krasinski, and filming in the beautiful UNESCO city under Srdj will, according to sources, begin next month.

"The idea of if being filmed in Dubrovnik came to our notice. If it weren't for the Game of Thrones, there would have been next to no tourists in Dubrovnik during the two years of the coronavirus pandemic. Even today, some Korean women ask when locals when they're planning take the backdrop down,'' said Ante.

The gorgeous old Jesuit Stairs, which were already popular for things like wedding photos, became even more popular after they appeared in an American series. Dubrovnik is now expecting another big production which will be very welcome for most following two very difficult years for tourism, with Dubrovnik being a destination people typically reach only be air.

"According to information from the City of Dubrovnik, about 300 people will participate in this project," said reporter Mario Juric.

Extras are already wanted for what is set to be filmed in Dubrovnik, but some local people don't like seeing all the filming going on. They come here, they create chaos and the question remains how much it suits us, it's not all about the money. Is the message clear?'' noted local Dubrovnik tourist guide Ranko Bautovic.

There is currrently a vow of silence about all other details about what is allegedly set to be filmed in Dubrovnik from the city administration, the American-Croatian production company, as well as from HAVC.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

December the 31st, 2021 - Croatia is certainly no stranger to international film crews, with Game of Thrones (GoT) placing the City of Dubrovnik very firmly on the global filming map, and the likes of Star Wars doing the same. What about continental Croatia, however? The Fiddler on the Roof had scenes filmed there, but that was a long time ago. The Indians now have their eyes on possibly filming Varazdin for various scenes.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Sergej Novosel Vuckovic writes, this charming Northern Croatian city, which has the Trash Film Festival and Vafi - an international festival of animated films for children and youth, definitely has a friendly relationship with the world of film, and with the founding of the Varazdin Film Office, its goal is to promote the city as being film friendly.

In addition, Varazdin aims to become a desirable location for filming movies, series, commercials, videos and other such productions. Lana Velimirovic Vukalovic, the director of the Varazdin Public Open University, which founded the Office back in 2017 with the support of the City of Varazdin, recently had an online meeting with the Indian company Europa Media & Entertainment at the Focus 2021 international event in London. This company usually represents film locations in Mumbai (Bombay). How did it turn out?

"Indian producers are showing great interest in filming in Croatia. Through the exchange of emails, we'll present Varazdin and its surroundings in more detail as potential film backdrops,'' pointed out Velimirovic Vukalovic. In February 2022, a producer from Mumbai is due to arrive to look into potentially filming Varazdin.

"What I expect from this visit is the promotion of the city of Varazdin and the entire county, not only in terms of potential locations for filming, but also in terms of tourism. We talked about the possibility of bringing Instagrammers from India here who would document and photograph our region on their profiles.

We want to launch a series of activities related to the creative industries in POU, so I suggested a guest from India to give lectures in Varazdin on the topic of Bollywood and to show his two feature films in the Gaj city cinema,'' revealed the director.

The Varazdin Film Office takes on a dual role, the first being to be a contact point for all film crews in the city, along with the Tourist Board and the City, and the second to help teams find suitable locations for filming Varazdin and elsewhere, to connect them with site owners and so on… The office can ''direct'' economic opportunities as well, especially for local SMEs.

"In the case of larger production projects, they can be involved in providing their services, for example through the accommodation of camera crews, catering and hospitality, hairdressing, make-up artists, and so forth,'' explained Velimirovic Vukalovic. Currently, the Office is supporting one Croatian production company in its search for a place for a film with scenes from the middle of the nineteenth century.

"The goal is to attract filmmakers from Croatia, the region and the rest of the world. In this sense, we'll be able to explore the possibilities of designing incentive models for production companies with support provided by the Croatian Audiovisual Centre. Therefore, in the future, we want to connect the Varazdin Film Office with the Centre for Creative Industries, which we plan to develop in cooperation with the City of Varazdin.

The plan is to map the creative industries across the entire county and we've already started forming a working group. We'll see to what extent we can include activities related to the film industry in this domain, but a holistic approach would certainly make sense. It's crucial that in 2022 we implement the annual plan - drafting regulations on the Office, updating the website with information on services throughout the city, and additional networking with important stakeholders in the film industry at home and abroad,'' she concluded.

For more, check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

Kornati islands are among the finalists competing for the best European filming location of the year!

The European Film Commission Network (EUFCN) announced the five finalists competing for the Location Award 2021. In the fifth instalment of the annual competition, Kornati National Park made the cut as one of the filming locations for the award-winning Croatian film Murina. 

Each year, all EUFCN member film commissions have a chance to nominate one location from a film or a TV series filmed in their country; the list of submissions is then reviewed by the Location Award Jury who select the top five locations to compete for the title. EUFCN state that the jury looks for locations that have a significant role in the story and innovative use in the audiovisual product. 

Here’s a full list of this year’s finalists:

Berlin, Germany: The Queen’s Gambit

Cahir Castle, Ireland: The Green Knight

Malaga, Spain: The Crown (Season 4)

Stadlandet, Norway: Dune 

Kornati National Park, Croatia: Murina

EUFCN - European Film Commissions Network 

Voting is open to the general public - you can cast your vote until January 31st, 2022 at the EUFCN Location Award page. If you need an incentive, let it be known that one lucky voter will be randomly selected and awarded a trip to the winning location!

Murina was directed by Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović and stars Gracija Filipović, Leon Lučev, Danica Ćurčić and Cliff Curtis. 

The Dubrovnik-born director’s first feature film won quite a few international accolades this year, most notably the prestigious Camera d’or award at the Cannes Film Festival in July. Murina had its Croatian debut at the Pula Film Festival where it won three awards: the Golden Arena for Best Supporting Actress (Danica Ćurčić), the Breza Award for Best Debutant (Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović), and the Golden Gate of Pula Audience Award for best film in the Croatian programme. 

Apart from Kornati, the filming of Murina also took place on Hvar and Koločep island. 

For everything you need to know about filming in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

November the 21st, 2021 - It's a well known fact that Croatia is of huge interest to filming companies, especially since Game of Thones (GoT) well and truly placed the country on the map after Dubrovnik became known globally as ''King's Landing''. Now, foreign film producers have expressed their desire for a large Rijeka film studio to be constructed.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the real flow of interest in this country in terms of cinema, TV and filming began after the launch of the project "Filming in Croatia" back in 2012 at the initiative of Hrvoje Hribar, who was the head of the Croatian Audiovisual Center (HAVC), and the foundation and goal of this project is to attract foreign investment to based on the services of Croatian filmmakers, as well as based on the many locations that Croatia offers for filming.

Given the geographical position of Croatia and its diverse and stunning landscapes, interesting locations are certainly not lacking for filmmakers. Moreover, by choosing Croatia as the country to shoot a film, series or commercial, in addition to investing in the country, foreign filmmakers with the "Filming in Croatia" programme return 25 percent of the total costs back into the country, which is certainly profitable.

The mayor of Rijeka, Marko Filipovic, explained to Rijeka portal Novi list what is so interesting for foreign filmmakers in this Northern Adriatric city, known for its long industrial past.

''Over more recent years, Rijeka has certainly become extremely interesting to filmmakers, which shows through the large number of feature and documentary films shot in various Rijeka locations, as well as commercials made for many large international companies. In addition, according to the feedback we've been receiving, production companies are very satisfied with the logistical support they receive in Rijeka and in the Rijeka area from the city administration and other institutions with which they cooperate, not to mention the Kvarner Film Commission.

This sort of interest has recently been expressed by Czech production company that already has film studios, to develop a project to build a large Rijeka film studio with a number of accompanying public and educational content in the city. The company was presented with some sites and locations across Rijeka which have the potential to see a Rijeka film studio develop,'' added Mayor Filipovic, before pointing out that the reasons for choosing Rijeka are the fact that the city has a wide variety of localities and exteriors that can meet the needs of filmmakers from Central European architecture and a Mediterranean ambience to industrial heritage.

''In addition, as a comparative advantage of Rijeka, its exceptionally good position and transport connections by air, land and sea, as well as possible cooperation with programmes and studies of the University of Rijeka in the field of film art, art, design and the like, also go hand in hand with this,'' concluded the Mayor of Rijeka.

For more, check out our dedicated lifestyle section.