Experience Barcelona´s landmarks and city sights in a different way by learning about the films that have featured the beautiful city on the big screen. You can take a movie walking tour offered by Icono Serveis that takes you to the filmed locations and covers directors and actors from the films as well. The tour starts at 14€ and begins at the Columbus Monument near the metro L3 Drassanes station.
Below is a list of some of the better known films featuring Barcelona along with the locations filmed for you to check out when visiting the city.
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Woody Allen´s film Vicky Cristina Barcelona starring Penelope Cruz, Scarlett Johansson and Javier Bardem was filmed in Barcelona during the summer of 2007. The film is about two young American girls exploring Barcelona during the summer when they come across a painter who they both find themselves interested in and are surprised with the return of his ex-wife.
The film was presented at the Cannes Film Festival in 2008 and did very well in the box office bringing in over €70 million world wide in the first few months. It also did very well with critics winning a Golden Globe for “Best Motion Picture” and Academy Award for “Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Penelope Cruz).”
Some of the city´s landmarks featured in the film include La Sagrada Famìlia, Tibidabo, La Rambla, Casa Milà, Parc Güell and more.
Filmed locations: La Sagrada Famìlia, Casa Milà, Parc Güell, La Rambla, Tibadabo, Miro Museum, Gothic Quarter, Santa Marìa del Mar, Port Olympic and The 4 Cats restaurant.
Biutiful
Biutiful was directed by Alejando Gonzales who also directed other well-known films such as Amores Perros and Babel. The movie opened in theaters back in 2010 and featured actor Javier Bardem, who also starred in Vicky Cristina Barcelona.
Barcelona´s rough side of life is shown in the film with Bardem playing a character named Uxbal who is running a sweatshop making knock off goods to be sold in downtown Barcelona. Dealing with his mentally unstable and abusive wife along with trying to raise his children alone, he learns that he is ill with only a few months to live. He looks to change for the good and sets off to find someone to look after his children when he is gone.
The film made over €20 million and was nominated for two categories at the 2011 Academy Awards. One for Best Foreign Language Film and another for Best Actor (Javier Bardem). Locations used in the film included La Rambla, Plaça Catalunya, Hospitalet de Llorbregat, Badalona and more.
Filmed locations: Montjuïc Cemetery, Plaça Catalunya, Hospitalet de Llobregat, La Rambla, Plaça Reial, Badalona, Sant Adrià de Besòs and Santa Coloma de Gramanet.
The Passenger
Barcelona saw the first foreign movie to be filmed in the city in 1875 with Italian director Michelangelo Antonioni´s film The Passenger. The film features legendary actor Jack Nicholson and Maria Schneider.
Nicholson plays an American journalist sent to cover a story in northern Africa who encounters a dead body of a person with an identical appearance. Locke decides to play dead and assume the dead man´s identity leaving his life behind and facing the consequences.
The film received awards from the Bodil Awards and Sant Jordi Awards that include Best Director, Foreign Actor and Cinematography as well as a nomination for the Palme d´Or at the Cannes Film Festival. La Rambla, Casa Milà, Palau Güell and other Barcelona locations were featured in the film.
Filmed locations: Casa Milà, La Rambla, Palau Güell, Hotel Oriente, and Ciutadella Park.
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
German film Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by director Tom Tykwer was filmed in Barcelona in 2005 and released in 2006. Although the film takes place in Paris, Tykwer believed that Barcelona was the ideal place to recreate the 18th century of Paris in the film.
Actors in the film include Ben Whishaw, Dustin Hoffman, Rachel Hurd-Wood and Alan Rickman. It is based on 1985 novel written by German author Patrick Suskind and is about an abandoned boy who has an extraordinary sense of smell which he uses to create the perfect perfume using the scent of women he comes across.
The film´s budget at €60 million made it the most expensive German film of all time and went on to win two German Film Awards and received a nomination for the International Film Music Critics Award. Barcelona locations in the film included Poble Espanyol, Plaça Sant Felip Neri and the Gothic Quarter.
Filmed Locations: Labyrinth of Horta, Poble Espanyol, Plaça Sant Felip Neri, Barcelona Cathedral, Plaça Reial and the Gothic Quarter.
Tour Info:
Website:
www.iconoserveis.com
Phone:
93 410 14 05
Email:
info@iconoserveis.com
Address:
Avda. Portal de l’Àngel
