Authentic settings for film & tv productions
The Harz Mountains – Germany’s northernmost mountain range – extend across the three states of Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. Covering an area of approximately 4,000 square kilometres, this region offers a distinctive setting for film and television productions of all kinds. The spectacular motifs to be found here include a rugged landscape featuring mountain forests, deep valleys, meadows and moors. Caves, tunnels and mine shafts bear witness to over 3,000 years of mining. The region’s industrial monuments, sacred architecture and timberframe building ensembles are recognised the world over as important cultural heritage sites. Together with the many castles and fortresses, they give the region a unique architectural appeal that has already inspired numerous filmmakers.
Historical films shot on location in the Harz include “Pope Joan” and “The Physician”, which take place in the Middle Ages; “Frantz”, a story from the First World War; films set in the 1930s and 40s such as “The Monuments Men”, “Generation War” and “Speer and Hitler – The Devil’s Architect”; and movies based on true events such as the mine drama “A Light in Dark Places”. And German TV thrillers have also found fitting backdrops here, such as “Harter Brocken” and “2 für alle Fälle – Manche mögen Mord”, the comedies “1½ Knights – In Search of the Ravishing Princess Herzelinde” and “7 Dwarves – The Wood is Not Enough”, as well as family films including “Till Eulenspiegel”, “The Little Ghost”, “The Little Witch”, “Tom Sawyer”, the pop fairy tale “Bibi & Tina – Girls vs Boys” and the film adaption of the German cult novel “Goodbye Berlin”. The list of films for which the Harz Mountains offered ideal shooting conditions could go on and on. The region even formed the scenic setting for the remake of the children’s book classic “Heidi”, which was of course actually set in the Swiss Alps and historical Frankfurt am Main.
The initiative “Drehort Harz” is a joint project of the states of Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia that aims to make the international public aware of the great potential of this versatile region as a film location. In and around the region’s cities, fascinating natural panoramas and exceptional buildings are awaiting discovery for shooting films in any number of genres.
We’re looking forward to your projects!
