Filmed in Budapest: Homeland

It’s no secret that Netflix has replaced the cinema in the past months in many parts of the world, providing distraction to millions. Series are a natural choice for home entertainment, because they can be consumed in pieces or all in marathon viewings, and, importantly, from home. No surprise that many series were filmed in part or totally in Budapest and Hungary. We profiled The Witcher a few months back, a series that got high rating from fantasy fans. Others filmed in Budapest include The Alienist, 12 Monkeys, and Emerald City.

One high profile series that was surprisingly shot in part here was the much loved thriller Homeland. As with many other productions, Budapest doubled for Moscow in Homeland’s Season 7 (though as much as they tried, they couldn’t keep a poster of former Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány appearing in a shot of Andrássy Avenue. Other locations the series utilized were the Buda Castle and the Boscolo Hotel, known for its famous New York Cafe.

Buda Castle via Varius/Wikipedia Commons

The show perhaps took advantage of most Americans’ ignorance of what Moscow actually looks like, not to mention Budapest, as in some scenes not much was done to disguise the city. RT.com points this out capably, in a snarky article on the topic: “the show’s attempts to make its Moscow scenes believable are futile. The first city scene shows the American delegation’s motorcade pulling up outside the easily identifiable New York Cafe in Budapest, complete with an iconic yellow Budapest tram rolling past. In later scenes, popular Budapest tourist locations are shown clearly. It’s almost an insult to the viewer — although the TV critics didn’t seem to notice, so perhaps the production team were right not to bother trying too hard to make Moscow out of Budapest”. Well, all’s well that ends well.

Like many stars in the city, Danes, made the most of her time off in Budapest, having been spotted at the Terror House Museum, and the inner 7th District’s restaurant Cupákos (now closed). While the series (much like Cupákos) was canceled shortly after their arrival in Central Europe, season 7 was known as one of the more memorable ones. Here’s hoping many more series will discover the versatile charms of Budapest, which if Homeland is to taken as an example, is just fine unadulterated, even if it is supposed to be in disguise.

Not Budapest!

Flatpack Films has many years of experience dedicated to offering expert servicing. It has brought the best of Hungary to countless brands, agencies, and production companies through its unique locations, exceptionally skilled crews, top of the line equipment and technical solutions. Backed by an impeccable track record, Flatpack Films has worked with world-class clients including Samsung, Samsonite, Toyota, Braun, Chivas Regal and many more - bringing their projects to life through a highly bespoke approach.