EUFCN reveals Location Award 2023 Shortlist

The European Film Commissions Network (EUFCN) launched the seventh edition of the EUFCN Location Award, the annual prize for European locations in the film and TV industries, by announcing the names of the 5 locations that will compete for best European filming location of the year.

The 2023 finalists are:

Helsetkopen for Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One – Norwegian Film Commission (NORWAY)

Hotel Parque do Rio for Bad Living – Portugal Film Commission (PORTUGAL)

Inis Mór for The Banshees of Inisherin – Screen Ireland (IRELAND)

Jotunheimen for Troll – Eastern Norway Film Commission (NORWAY)

Romsdalen Gondola for Succession (Season 4) – Western Norway Film Commission (NORWAY)

During the first stage of the competition, EUFCN member film commissions had the opportunity to submit one location from a film or a TV series shot in their territory and released between October 3^rd, 2022 and September 11^st, 2023.

The EUFCN Location Award Jury evaluated all 24 submissions, focusing on the significant role of the location in the story and its outstanding use inside the audiovisual product.

The Jury was composed by Andrea David (Travel Blogger | Filmtourismus), Wendy Mitchell (Journalist, Moderator and Film Festival Consultant), Jerry Odlin (Sales Director of Boutique Editions Ltd), Alison Taylor (Location Manager, 1st Vice President of the LMGI) and Venia Vergou (Producer, Crew United Greece).

“As always with the EUFCN Location Award, the breadth and quality of the locations entered have been outstanding, making ranking the top 5 out of the excellent 24 entries, very difficult, albeit very enjoyable. The jury has been happily surprised to see how filmmakers managed to make such creative use in their productions of a spectacular array of landscape, architecture and cultural heritage found in Europe. It is unusual to have three nominees from the same country, but Helsetkopen, Jotunheimen and Romsdalen Gondola were so strong and unique that they really rose to the top, and it felt appropriate to celebrate these different locations, which played a significant role in three very different productions shot in Norway. Together with Portugal’s compelling Hotel Parque do Rio and the fascinating Irish island of Inis Mór, the finalists will reflect the importance and value of filming locations, essential characters in a story. Congratulations to all the entrants and the work they put in to make the work of the judges as consistent as possible.”   – EUFCN Location Award 2023 Jury

The winner of the EUFCN Location Award 2023 will be determined by the general public’s vote. Everyone can vote here: https://eufcn.com/location-award-2023/

A lucky name will be picked among the voters and will win a trip to the winning location.

Voting opens on Nov. 27^th and runs through Jan. 31^st 2024. The EUFCN Location Award 2023 will be handed out to the winning location and film commission on February 18^th, at the European Film Market – EFM 2024 in Berlin.

The European Film Commissions Network is a non-profit association that supports and promotes the European film industry and culture. It currently represents 99 European film commissions and film institutions from 31 different countries.