Where was Narvik shot? Filming locations explored

Narvik is now streaming on Netflix. The Norwegian film hit the streaming giant on Monday, January 23, 2023. Also known as The Battle of Narvik – Hitler's First Defeat, the war drama was originally titled Kampen om Narvik and had its world premiere last year.

The film, set in April 1940, focuses on the Battle of Narvik. Narvik is a small northern Norwegian town with a rich source of iron ore. The metal was required for war equipment for Hitler’s army. However, after two months of fierce warfare in the winter, the dictator faced his first defeat.

The official synopsis, released by Netflix, reads:

"Against the backdrop of the WWII battle known as Hitler's first defeat, a Norwegian soldier returns home and learns a shocking truth about his wife."

In the trailer, released last October, the snow backdrop piqued everyone’s curiosity, and they wanted to know where the movie was shot.

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The team of Narvik set base entirely in Norway

Lead actors Carl Martin Eggesbø and Kristine Cornelie Margrete Hartgen. (Photo via NRK)

Reports state that the Erik Skjoldbjærg-directorial has been shot entirely in Norway, with places like Narvik, the capital city of Oslo, Rjukan, Øverbygd, and Drammen serving as primary filming locations. The Norwegian town of Harstad was also reportedly one of the filming locations.

Production commenced in Rjukan and Oslo in March 2020, after seven years of research. However, the shooting was halted due to COVID-19. Filming resumed in April and went on until June. Meanwhile, snow shots and winter recordings were carried out in April–May 2021.

The team called it a wrap in May 2021.

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1) Oslo, Norway

A shot of the Norwegian capital city of Oslo. (Photo via YouTube/GoodStuff)

The Nordisk Film-backed project was shot in and around Oslo in March 2020, and after a brief lull, filming started again in April of that year. The capital city and its surroundings served as locations for several outdoor scenes.

As per reports, many key scenes were filmed at Rodeløkka Velhus. Other top productions that set up base in Oslo include No Time to Die (2021), Tenet (2020), Troll (2022), The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011), and The Snowman (2017), among others.

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2) Rjukan and Drammen

Reports stated that when the film started rolling out in March 2020, a number of scenes were filmed in Rjukan for the first seven days. After a break due to the pandemic, the team was back in the Norwegian town to shoot outdoor sequences.

Interestingly, Rjukan doesn’t get sunlight for six months, from September to March. Located 177.0 km away from Oslo, it's known as one of the darkest places in the world. In 2013, courtesy of a bookkeeper called Oscar Kittilsen, large mirrors were erected on the northern mountainside to reflect the sun’s rays. This created a beautiful illumination of the town square.

Drammen, a municipality in Viken, is situated 133.4 km from Rjukan and 42.9 km from Oslo. The city is noted for its white beaches and world-class art. Some of its tourist attractions include Aass Brewery, Drammen Museum, Ypsilon Bridge, Drammen Spiral, and Drammensbadet, among others.

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3) Narvik: This is where several pivotal scenes were filmed

The crew shot numerous winter shots and also utilized structures like Vassvikkaia and Norddalsbrua in the city for sequences in the drama.

Apart from the aforementioned film, noted productions like Babylon A.D. (2008), The Crossing (2021), The Borderless Sky (2018), and Agent Walker (2017) also set up camp in the town.

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Narvik had its world premiere in the titular city on December 10, 2022, and a theatrical premiere was held on December 25 of the same year. The film is now streaming on Netflix.