Filming on location in Vilnius, Lithuania
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania in north-east Europe and lies near the border with Belarus. The city – not to mention Lithuania as a whole – already has a thriving commercials industry, with around 200 shoots taking place in 2010.
The country doesn’t have a high international filmmaking profile. This could all be about to change. The city is clearly aiming to make an impact in TV and film as well, having recently established a dedicated film office and lobbying for a formal filming incentive. The base of half a dozen or so existing service companies could soon grow.
Rich architectural history is among Vilnius’ trump cards. A modern city exists alongside the Old Town, which at more than 3.5 sq km is among Europe’s largest surviving medieval towns. It offers baroque, gothic, neoclassical and renaissance buildings and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.
(Images courtesy of Vilnius Tourist Information Centre, Andrius Ufartas and Kestutis Vanagas, via Vilnius Film Office)