Naman Shrestha
Hallmark’s ‘Retreat to You’ is a romantic drama film that revolves around two former best friends Abby and Sean who ended their friendship on bad terms after they had a falling out at their graduation party. Fast forward to several years, Abby’s friend Rachel convinces her to accompany her to a wilderness retreat, where Abby unexpectedly runs into Sean.
Shocked to see each other, Abby and Sean continue minding their own business until they find themselves stuck with each other after getting separated from the group. Now, as they work together to find their way back to the campsite, will they talk out their differences and get back into each other’s arms? With the rolling hills, a luxurious hotel, and the woods featured in the movie, the audience is likely to wonder where ‘Retreat to You’ was filmed.
Retreat to You Filming Locations
‘Retreat to You’ was filmed in Alberta, particularly in the Calgary metropolitan area. As per reports, principal photography for the rom-com film commenced in the first week of July 2023 and got wrapped up in a matter of a few weeks within the same month itself. Given the stunning mountainous landscape of Alberta, it makes for a suitable filming site for a production like ‘Retreat to You.’ So, without further ado, let’s follow the protagonists on their retreat and learn all about the specific sites that feature in the Hallmark movie!
Calgary Metropolitan Area, Alberta
For the purpose of filming, the production team of ‘Retreat to You’ set up camp in the Calgary metropolitan area, mainly in downtown Calgary to tape some establishing shots and in the area around the hamlet of Priddis, which lies in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies within Foothills County. The Azuridge Estate Hotel at 178057 272 Street West in Priddis served as the primary production location for the romantic movie as this is where the characters in the film stay for the retreat.
Nestled in the picturesque rolling Alberta foothills, just a few minutes away from the city of Calgary, the Azuridge Estate Hotel not only provides you with a luxurious hotel experience but also an excellent fine dining experience at the Opal restaurant. Apart from being a place of relaxation away from the bustling city life, it is also apt for a corporate meeting and throwing a wedding. The forest areas near the hotel were also heavily utilized for shooting some key scenes for ‘Retreat to You.’
Apart from the Hallmark production, Calgary and its surrounding areas have been featured in a number of film and TV projects over the years. As a matter of fact, it has hosted the production of ‘Brokeback Mountain,’ ‘A Teacher,’ ‘The Ron Clark Story,’ ‘Days of Heaven,’ ‘The Claim,’ ‘Winter in Vail,’ and ‘Heartland.’
Retreat to You Cast
The Copenhagen native, Emilie Ullerup, portrays Abby in the Hallmark movie. After landing her first leading roles in two TV shows — ‘jPod’ and ‘Sanctuary‘ — her career catapulted as she won Best Female Lead in a Dramatic Series at the Leo Awards for the former. Making the most of her early success, she managed to bag key roles in other projects, including ‘True Memoirs of an International Assassin,’ ‘Brazen,’ ‘Life On The Line,’ ‘Battlestar Galactica,’ ‘Motherland: Fort Salem,’ and ‘Arctic Air.’ She also features in a few other Hallmark productions, such as ‘Chesapeake Shores,’ ‘Nature of Love,’ and ‘Christmas Bells Are Ringing.’
On the other hand, Peter Mooney essays the role of Sean, Abby’s old friend and love interest. The multi-talented actor has made important appearances in various TV shows over the course of his acting career, including ‘Saving Hope,’ ‘Burden of Truth,’ ‘Falcon Beach,’ and ‘Camelot.’ You might also recognize him from a few movies he features in — ‘Betting on the Bride,’ ‘Catch and Release,’ and ‘The Prodigy.’
‘Retreat to You’ features a bunch of other cast members who play supporting yet key roles, including Meghan Heffern as Rachel, Donald Heng as the Chef, Brianna Johnston as Lucy, Chantal Perron as Barb, Brandon McEwan as Young Sean, Molly Saunders as Young Abby, and Jenny Steele as the Yoga Instructor. Moreover, Carlo Cuizon portrays an attendant, Mary Armstrong a yoga student, Eoin Bates a hospital visitor, and Stephanie Chabeniuk a resort staff. In the meanwhile, Steve Tsang, Britt Cooke, and Kevin Gritton feature as resort guests in the Hallmark movie.
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