Filmed in Ukraine: Breathtaking movie locations you can explore for yourself
Where to travel in Ukraine to see filming locations of famous movies (frame from the film "Zakhar Berkut")
Ukrainian films are often shot in real villages and towns, sometimes right in the middle of forests, mountains, or remote hamlets. These locations not only serve as the backdrop for stories but also make for fantastic places for tourists to visit. Here are the regions that hosted the filming of the most striking Ukrainian movies.
Verkhniy Yalovets, Bukovyna (Pamfir)
A true Carpathian region where Dmytro Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk's film "Pamfir" was shot. The village of Verkhniy Yalovets in Chernivtsi Oblast became the “set” for this expressive auteur film.
Traditional Hutsul houses, old churches, narrow forest roads, and an atmosphere that perfectly matched the film's dramatic story are still preserved here.
How to get there:
- Take a train to Vyzhnytsia or Chernivtsi
- Then a bus to Putyla
- Finally, hitchhike or rent a car to reach Verkhniy Yalovets (public transport is infrequent)
Kyiv and the suburbs (Rock. Paper. Grenade)
This thriller was filmed in Kyiv and its surroundings. Scenes were shot in the residential districts of the capital and abandoned buildings in Boyarka and Irpin. The atmosphere of decay and tension was enhanced by real architecture with no sets.
How to get there:
- Boyarka and Irpin can easily be reached by suburban train from Kyiv (from Sviatoshyn or Kyiv-Pasazhyrskyi stations)
- On site, you can book a tour with a local guide (some filming locations gained popularity after the movie's release)
Zakarpattia and Kyiv (Zakhar Berkut)
Near Synevyr Lake and the village of Synevyrska Poliana, the mountain gorge and battle scenes were filmed.
In Kyiv, in the Troieshchyna district, large-scale decorations were built at the Film.UA Group pavilions, including the mountain gorge, the village of Tukhlia, and the estate of Tuhar Vovk.
The set covered over 3,000 square meters, with production designers creating a fantastic space that looks both natural and realistic.
How to get there:
- To Synevyr: train or car to Rakhiv, then local transport or guided tours to Synevyrska Poliana
- To the set: trip to Kyiv, guided tour at the Film.UA studio (if accessible to visitors)
- Additionally, visit the Maniava waterfall and other picturesque places in the Carpathians
Zakarpattia (Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors)
The main filming took place in Verkhovyna, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, the villages of Kryvorivnia, Vorokhta, Vipche, Zelene, and near the Zhenetskyi Huk waterfall in Yaremche.
In Verkhovyna, there is a film museum in Paradzhanov's house, where over 1,000 artifacts and ethnographic exhibits are preserved, including costumes, photos, and props.
How to get there:
- To Verkhovyna: train or bus to Ivano-Frankivsk, then bus or minibus to Verkhovyna
- Between villages: minibus or car through Kryvorivnia, Vorokhta, Vipche, Zelene. Near Vorokhta, the Zhenetskyi Huk waterfall is worth a visit
- Visit the "Shadows" museum in Verkhovyna and plan a stop in Kryvorivnia, the heart of the film
You may be interested in:
- Where in Ukraine to find a narrow-gauge railway no longer found in Europe
- Which Ukrainian villages are full of mysticism
- What might surprise you in a magical little village in Vinnytsia Oblast
Sources: BBC Ukraine, Wikipedia, National Union of Writers of Ukraine, State Film Agency of Ukraine.
