Will Ferrell's latest film Eurovision Song Contest follows the journey of Icelandic duo Fire Saga as they compete in the legendary music competition. While the film centers on the competition itself, its beautiful backdrop is enough to distract the viewer from wondering where Eurovision is filmed?
The Eurovision Song Contest kicked off in the scenic Icelandic fishing village of Húsavík, the small hometown of The Fire Saga. This town is so authentic that it's known as the "Whale Capital of Iceland" due to the frequent sightings of the ocean giants. Eurovision did film in Husavik, and Rachel McAdams (who also stars in the film) noted that they were lucky to get the location. “We were filming in Iceland where there’s volcanic activity right now on top of everything else,” she told Canada’s Economic Times , referencing the pandemic-related travel restrictions that Eurovision narrowly avoided.
But much of the Eurovision Song Contest was filmed in Scotland, specifically Edinburgh, where the Eurovision Song Contest is held in the film. As Ferrell and McAdams ride up Calton Hill on their comically oversized Segways, beautiful views of the city are in full view. Filming also took place on The Mound, a man-made hill built in the late 1700s that connects the city's Old and New Towns, in the Royal Mile and colorful Grassmarket areas, the Old City's main shopping district.
A major venue for the Eurovision Song Contest is also Scotland - Glasgow's largest indoor music venue, the Hydro, and Glasgow Airport are both prominent locations in the film. But the authentic feel and flavor of Eurovision cannot be faked, which explains why the production was actually filmed live at the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv, Israel. Although no scenes from the competition appear in the film, many of this year's contestants make cameos in the film, adding an authentic touch to the Netflix comedy.
