In recent years, Croatia has emerged as a highly demanding filming destination. There is a variety of reasons for its position, including government incentives. In order to support business operations in the country, producers can get a 25% refund of the total amount of eligible costs during production, with an additional 5% for projects filmed in areas of below-average development. This resulted in 2021 being one of the busiest years, with over 20 global projects.
One of the stellar filming projects in Croatia was Game of Thrones. The filming of the planetary popular HBO series was a pivotal moment in Croatia’s filming history. The cities of Dubrovnik and Split, alongside the fortress of Klis, gained recognition worldwide. King’s Landing and the City of Meereen became one of the most visited locations due to the extreme popularity of the show.
The movie industry got a boost in 2017 when the island of Vis “acted” parts of Greece in the movie “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” (2018). It is important to mention that just a few years earlier, the film “The Odyssey” (2016) about the most famous underwater explorer Jacques Cousteau, was filmed on the island of Hvar and Pakleni Otoci, as well as on the islands of Vis and Biševo serving as a set for the southern part of France. The uniqueness of Biševo and the famous Blue Cave are visible in the sequel of the movie “The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard” (2021).
The captivating beauty of the island of Šolta made its international debut in the sci-fi film “Bliss” (2021) by Amazon Studios. Most of this scenes were shot in the city of Split. Various picturesque locations and spots provided a unique set for the movie. It is interesting to know that the movie “Mathilde” (2004), directed by Nina Mimica, and starring Jeremy Irons was shoot in Split. What is more, Split, Trogir, and Dubrovnik were all part of the American series “”Dig”” (2015). The well-known BBC crime series “McMafia” (2018) was partly shot in Split, while German television production sets the set of its crime series “”Split Homicide”” (2016) – originally “Der Kroatien Krimi”-entirely in Split. The beauty of Split was recognized by Netflix as well. Romantic comedy “Ibiza” (2018) and the new film “The Weekend Away” (2022) were both filmed in the city.
Croatia is surely a production magnet. With its numerous filming options, skilled local filming crews, and talented technicians it attracts . With the increasing popularity of Croatia as a filming location, the projects will certainly continue to grow.
