Written by Kianna Best on Nov 27, 2023. Posted in Awards and Festivals

EUFCN announces shortlisted entrants for 7th annual Location Awards

The EUFCN Location Awards have announced their shortlisted entrants for the 7^th edition of their celebration. Out of the five finalists selected by the jury, only one will succeed as the best use of location this year. Open for public vote, judging will run until 31 January 2024.

The Banshees of Inisherin. Photo by Jonathan Hession, courtesy of Searchlight Pictures

On the selection process, the 2023 Jury jointly commented: “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.”

This year’s jury sifted through 24 submissions, plucking those which exhibited quality use of a location in the story telling process of the project and inside the audio-visual product. Of the total, only 5 came out on top. These include Helsetkopen, Norway for Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One led by the Norwegian Film Commission, Hotel Parque do Rio, Portugal for Bad Living led by Portugal Film Commission, Inis Mór, Ireland for The Banshees of Inisherin led by Screen Ireland, Jotunheimen, Norway for Troll, led by Eastern Norway Film Commission, and Romsdalen Gondola, Norway  for Succession (Season 4)  led by Western Norway Film Commission.

Image courtesy of Portugal Film Commission

“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,” added the jury. “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.”

The criteria required the filmed location to be in the territory of the submitting film commission, with production conducted between 3 October 2022 and 11 September 2023. The winner from the shortlist will be awarded on 18 February at the 2024 European Film Market in Berlin. Amongst the public voters, one will also be selected to win a travel package to the successful location.

Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning - Part One courtesy of Paramount Pictures and Skydance.

Meet The Norwegian Film Commissions, Portugal Film Commission and Screen Ireland at FOCUS 2023, held at the Islington Business Design Centre, London, from 5-6 December. Register HERE for FREE to hear chief executive for The Norwegian Film Commissions Meghan Beaton, and others, speak on SUCCESSION PLANNING: The Rise of Set-Jetting and Getting on Board with Screen Tourism, and to have the opportunity to meet our many other global exhibitors.