Naman Shrestha
Helmed by F. Gary Gray, Netflix’s ‘Lift’ is a heist comedy movie that takes us into the criminal world of a notorious master thief named Cyrus who is known to pull off several crimes, including money laundering, identity theft, and transportation of stolen property, along with his skilled crew. Soon, the FBI corners him and threatens to charge him and everyone involved with all the crimes unless he does them an impossible favor — pull off a heist worth millions of dollars on a plane 40,000 feet in the air.
Agreeing to the deal, Cyrus and his talented crew begin laying the bricks in order to steal $500 million in gold which is being transported on a 777 passenger flight, and resultantly, prevent a terrorist attack. The crime action film features some well-known actors, including Kevin Hart, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Vincent D’Onofrio, Úrsula Corberó, and Billy Magnussen. Moreover, since there are plenty of scenes set inside the aircraft where the final heist takes place, it is only natural for one to have questions regarding the actual filming locations of ‘Lift.’
Lift Was Filmed in Italy and the UK
‘Lift’ was filmed predominantly in Venice and Trieste in Italy, with some portions also shot in Northern Ireland and London, England. It seems that the production for the heist film got underway in March 2022 and wrapped up in a few months, seemingly in June of the same year. Now, let’s fly to all the specific sites that make an appearance in the Netflix action-comedy production!
Venice, Italy
The shooting for a majority of ‘Lift’ took place in Venice, the picturesque Italian city situated in the northeastern region of the nation. The production team took over several streets and neighborhoods of the city and turned them into film sets during the shooting schedule. For instance, some key portions were taped in and around Rialto Bridge in Sestiere San Polo, Doge’s Palace at Piazza San Marco, 1, Combo, Venezia at Campo dei Gesuiti, 4878, Cannaregio, and the Grand Canal.
During the production process, the cast and crew members were spotted recording a number of key sequences around Venetian Arsenal, Riva degli Schiavoni, the Church of Saint Roch in Campo San Rocco, Saint Mark’s Basilica at Piazza San Marco, 328, and Church of San Giorgio Maggiore. Reports suggest that the filming unit also made the most of the Venetian Lagoon to shoot several prominent scenes, especially on the island of Burano.
Trieste, Italy
Additional portions of ‘Lift’ were also lensed in the seaport city of Trieste, which is the capital of the autonomous region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. In late May 2022, various onlookers and passersby were possibly starstruck coming across the cast and crew of the Netflix film as they recorded multiple pivotal scenes on the grounds of the famous Miramare Castle at Viale Miramare in the city of Trieste. Built between 1856 and 1860, the historic castle’s grounds consist of several tropical species of trees and plants, which you might be able to notice in the backdrop of a few scenes.
Northern Ireland
According to reports, Belfast Harbour Studios served as one of the primary production locations for ‘Lift.’ Situated on Dargan Road in Belfast, the film studio is home to numerous studios, workshops, and offices sprawled across at least 120,000 square feet. Besides that, a few exterior shots for the Kevin Hart starrer were also reportedly taped in the seaside resort and city of Bangor, particularly in Ward Park on Castle Street. The other possible Northern Irish sites that might feature in ‘Lift’ are Ulster University, Riddel Warehouse, Whitehead Railway Station, Titanic Hotel, Crown Liquor Saloon, Shackleton Barracks in Ballykelly, Ardglass Harbour, Castleward Estate, and Whitehead Railway Station.
London, England
The capital of England as well as the United Kingdom — London — also hosted the production of the F. Gary Gray directorial, ‘Lift.’ Known for several iconic landmarks, such as Big Ben, the Tower Bridge, and the London Eye, the city’s locales have been featured in various movies and TV shows over the years. Some of the notable ones include ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,’ ‘Kingsman: The Secret Service,’ ‘Ghosts,’ and ‘Death in Paradise.’
Read More: Best Heist Movies on Netflix
