Greece

Greece’s 40% tax rebate, its attractive locations and skilled English-speaking crews have lured many international productions in recent years. Christopher Nolan’s sword-and-sandal blockbuster The Odyssey shot here last year, taking in the Peloponnese region with key locations including Voidokilia beach, Methoni Castle and Acrocorinth.

Other international visitors have included Ruben Östlund’s Triangle Of Sadness, Molly Manning Walker’s How To Have Sex, Rian Johnson’s Netflix-backed Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery and Pablo Larrain’s Maria Callas biopic Maria.

Film productions are continuing to arrive in the country. Edward Berger’s psychological thriller The Riders, backed by A24 and starring Brad Pitt, has been shooting this spring in Hydra and Athens. Damien Chazelle’s untitled Paramount-­backed prison drama, starring Cillian Murphy, Daniel Craig and Michelle Williams, began production in early 2026 in Athens, constructing the penitentiary in a former tobacco factory. Apple TV has been in Athens with spy drama series Tehran, while director Romain Gavras shot action comedy Sacrifice, a Greece-UK co-­production starring Chris Evans and Anya Taylor-Joy, in Volakas in north Greece and Athens.

UK writer/director Alice Birch partly shot her feature debut Sweetsick, starring Cate Blanchett, in Greece for Searchlight Pictures; locations included Kardamyli, Trachila and Petrovouni. Upcoming TV series Dig, created by Michael Schur and Amy Poehler, based on Kate Myers’ novel Excavations and starring Hugh Laurie, is due to shoot this year in Attica, while Lara Izagirre Garizurieta’s feature Yerma is filming in Aedipsos.

The Mediterranean climate, diverse locations and landscapes help lure international productions. Greece offers everything from snow-capped Mount Olympus to a volcano on Nisyros, the Minoan palace of Knossos on Crete to the Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights in Rhodes. 

There is even a desert on Lemnos, while many Greek locations can double for other countries. Hellenic Film Commission, a directorate of the Greek Film Centre, supports international audiovisual productions by connecting producers with the local industry and the regional film offices, providing guidance on filming permits, incentives and locations. It also offers location-scouting financial support for projects looking to shoot in Greece. 

Putting it succinctly, Dare Film's co-founder Julie Papaikonomou says that what makes Greece a great choice is: "gorgeous locations, sun, great crews and experienced producers." 

Many of Greece’s most popular and picturesque filming locations are just a few hours’ drive from the capital Athens. Many islands have their own airports and are easy to reach from the mainland by both sea and air. Greece is a four-hour flight from London and 10 hours from New York.

"The weather has an average of over 250 sunny days per year," says Homemade Films' producer Maria Drandaki. The landscape is "very diverse and varied, from rocky mountains to forests, urban cities to small villages, lakes and 13,676 km of coastline."

Faliro adds: "The country offers a versatile canvas for filmmakers, from historical settings to contemporary urban landscapes and pristine beaches."

Aside from historical and natural locations, there are many modern sites open to filming. Highlights include the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center in Athens, which houses the national opera, national library and Stavros Niarchos Park. Upscale neighbourhoods can also stand in for Italy or France, and nothing is too far from a pristine beach. 

Producers are strongly advised to apply at the competent authorities of the Ministry of Culture and Sports at least one month prior to filming. Additionally, the expertise of Greek producers and location managers is needed to handle these permits.

Lesser-known islands such as Kythnos, Serifos, Koufonisia, Karpathos, Skopelos, and Alonisos are particularly production-friendly and eager to support film crews. Greece’s low living costs mean more room in your budget for production needs. 

Crews are highly regarded and speak fluent English. Greece does not have any major studios but facilities such as Kapa Studios in Athens are expanding. There are currently seven active regional film offices working alongside Hellenic Film Commission.

There are some highly regarded local service producers, among them Faliro House, Blonde (with credits including Tehran and The Riders), Heretic (which does production and sales), Foss Productions (more focused on local productions but does some international service work) and Tanweer.

Greece is easily accessible, with flights less than four hours from London, and has a strong transport infrastructure. Its booming tourism industry means there are plenty of airports, ferries and trains.

Contact :

Neoklis Mantas, film commissioner and head, Hellenic Film Commission n.mantas@ekkomed.gr

Greece is a member of the European Union and a participant in the Schengen Agreement. Its currency is the euro.