Where was In the Land of Saints and Sinners filmed? All shooting locations explored

In the Land of Saints and Sinners is an Irish action-thriller that premiered at the 80th Venice International Film Festival, nearly three months ago, on September 6, 2023. The film, directed by Robert Lorenz, revolves around a retired assassin who is forced to return to his violent ways to protect his friends. It stars Liam Neeson and marks his second collaboration with Lorenz after the 2021 actioner Marksman. The cast also includes Kerry Condon, Jack Gleeson, Ciaran Hinds, Sarah Greene, and Colm Meaney among others.

A still from In the Land of Saints and Sinners (Image via Madman Films)

It is jointly produced under Facing East, RagBag Pictures, and Prodigal Films Limited and distributed by Netflix. The filming took place in County Donegal and Dublin. Additionally, the cast and crew explored several villages in proximity to County Donegal during the shooting process.

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In the Land of Saints and Sinners: Shooting locations

1) County Donegal

Donegal, referred to as Ireland’s Surfing Capital, is the most mountainous county in Ulster. it is surrounded by the Derryveagh Mountains in the North and the Blue Stack Mountains in the South. It is also home to nearly half the plant and animal species found in Ireland. In the Land of Saints and Sinners was primarily shot here with the team visiting nearby villages to film important sequences.

The football match scenes, for instance, were filmed in Kilcar which is synonymous with handmade tweed manufacturing. It is also home to a local church and Áislann Chill Chartha, the village’s cultural center.

Similarly, the street scenes were filmed in Ardara, which was once considered as the best village to live in. It is home to the Cup of Tae Festival held in the months of April and May, and the Ardara Bluegrass Festival, a lively event that graces the village in the month of July.

The cast and crew visited Glencolmcille for the pub scenes. It is located on the Atlantic Coast and associated with Oideas Gael, a prestigious institute for teaching Irish. Visitors to Glencolmcille can visit historical monuments such as Court Tombs and Court Crains, which are over 5000 years old. It is also home to a folk village, which takes a look at Ireland’s lifestyle in the 18th century.

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2) Dublin

Some scenes from In the Land of Saints and Sinners were also shot in Dublin. The Irish capital, often referred to as the land of Gaelic deities and leprechauns, is the country’s cultural and economic hub. It attracts millions of visitors from across the globe and has Georgian landmarks that date back to the 18th century.

A still from In the Land of Saints and Sinners (Image via Madman Films)

Places to visit during a trip to Dublin include Dublin Castle, the Irish Immigration Museum, and the Dublinia Viking Museum.

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What’s In the Land of Saints and Sinners about?

The film is set in 1974 and revolves around Finbar Murphy, a former hitman, who tries to begin a new chapter in life but soon realizes that his past will always haunt him. He is eventually forced to go back to his violent ways when three terrorists show up at his door and he learns that one of them has been harassing a child. This sets the stage for an intense situation, which jeopardises his relationship with an ally.

The official synopsis on IMDb reads:

“In a remote Irish village, a damaged Finbar is forced to fight for redemption after a lifetime of sins, but what price is he willing to pay? In the land of saints and sinners, some sins can't be buried.”

In the Land of Saints and Sinners premiered at the 80th Venice International Film Festival, on September 6 and is yet to be released on streaming platforms.