Turkey is not only increasing its popularity among tourists but is also becoming a very attractive destination for global film producers. However, this does not mean that Turkey is trying to promote its films to the world market; rather, on the contrary, it is trying to draw attention to its own beautiful landscapes and film infrastructure. Now Antalya has become a kind of Hollywood film studio.
According to the publication “Turkiye Turizm”, the republic has attracted the attention of the world film industry due to its beauty and developed technical base. For example, 224 foreign films were shot in Turkey in 2022, representing an increase of 44% compared to the previous year. According to the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, 17 feature films, 21 TV series, 96 documentaries, 2 TV films and programs, 31 commercials, and 11 music videos were produced in 2022.
Filming of major film projects such as “Argo”, “James Bond”, “Skyfall”, “Charlie’s Angels” and “Inferno” continues in Turkey. Recently it became known that director Guy Ritchie has completed filming of his film “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly War”, dedicated to the Second World War, and the shooting took place in Antalya. Most of the filming took place on the plateau in Demre, as well as at the EXPO exhibition center. The total cost of filming the film in Turkey was about $15 million.
Other films shot in Turkey include “Operation Fortune” directed by Guy Ritchie and starring Jason Statham, one of the most famous action stars in the world, and “Tiger 3” starring Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif, both prominent actors in Bollywood cinema.
What caused this increase in demand? It turned out that not only beautiful landscapes play a role here, but also a new law adopted in Turkey. Following legislative changes, Turkey opened its doors to global film productions and provided significant incentives and advantages to film crews, including access to professional film crews, lighting, and space. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism is also actively negotiating major projects and Turkey is expected to become a popular filming location for many important films shortly.