Two Croatia-filmed series earn global location awards nominations

Operacija Šakal (Photo: Embassy Films)

Croatia’s scenic landscapes and skilled film crews are once again in the international spotlight as two television series filmed in the country have been nominated for the prestigious Location Managers Guild International (LMGI) Awards.

This is the first time that two Croatia-based productions have reached the finals in the same year.

The LMGI Awards, now in their 12th edition, honour outstanding and creative visual contributions by location professionals in film, television, commercials and featurettes worldwide.

This year’s nominations followed a record number of submissions, each showcasing the vital role locations play in bringing stories to life.

Operacija Šakal, produced by Embassy Films, is competing in the Outstanding Locations in a Contemporary Television Series category, alongside Landman, The Last of Us (Season 2), Mobland, and Slow Horses (Season 4).

Producer Erika Milutin described the nomination as “a recognition of years of work” and praised location manager Smiljan Tolj and the team for their dedication. She emphasised that Croatia’s locations were crucial to the show’s creative vision, adding that the project showcased the country’s diverse potential for filming.

Meanwhile, Hotel Portofino (Season 3), serviced in Croatia by production house Drugi plan, is nominated in the Outstanding Locations in a Period Television Series category. Competing titles include 1923 (Season 2), Dark Winds (Season 3), Godfather of Harlem (Season 4), One Hundred Years of Solitude and The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon (Season 2).

(Photo: Hotel Portofino)

Location manager Tomislav Peleski highlighted the challenge of recreating the luxury of Italy’s Ligurian coast using a combination of Kvarner exteriors and Zagreb interiors.

Producer Nebojša Taraba noted that the production was completed entirely with a Croatian crew, impressing even the Italian audience with its authenticity.

Both series were filmed under the Filming in Croatia incentive programme, run by the Croatian Audiovisual Centre (HAVC) in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and Media.

The LMGI Awards ceremony will take place on 23 August in Santa Monica, California. You can see all nominees here.