Naman Shrestha
Directed by Onur Saylak, Netflix’s ‘Chokehold’ is a Turkish thriller movie that follows a couple — Yalın and Beyza — who leave behind their city life and move to a small town on the Aegean coast to evade a scandal. However, their plans to start over their life peacefully are interrupted when they realize that the town’s locals are their enemies and are out to get them for ulterior reasons.
Originally titled ‘Boğa Boğa,’ the thriller movie features some of the finest Turkish talents, including Kıvanç Tatlıtuğ, Funda Eryiğit, Gürgen Öz, Kerem Arslanoğlu, Müge Bayramoğlu, and Onur Gürçay. The story begins in Istanbul and then transitions into the town of Assos. This transition in the locations portrays the change in their lives as they are made to question the intentions of the locals and fight for their lives. So, it is only natural for you to be curious about the actual filming sites of ‘Chokehold.’ In that case, we have got you covered!
Chokehold: Where Was it Filmed?
‘Chokehold’ was filmed entirely in Turkey, especially in Istanbul and Çanakkale Province. Principal photography for the drama movie seemingly took place around the summer of 2022, seemingly between May and July. So, let’s not waste time and get a detailed account of all the specific locations that can be spotted in the Netflix film!
Istanbul, Turkey
Many pivotal sequences for ‘Chokehold’ were lensed around Turkey’s largest city, Istanbul. The initial scenes of Yalın and Beyza residing in the city, interiors and exteriors, were supposedly recorded on location as the production team made the most of the city’s culturally rich and historic landscapes.
Since most of the exterior scenes were shot in different parts of the city, you will likely spot a bunch of iconic landmarks in the backdrop, such as the Hagia Irene, the Chora Church, the Monastery of Stoudios, the Hagia Theodosia, the Church of Theotokos Kyriotissa, the Monastery of Constantine Lips, the Church of Myrelaion, the Palace of the Porphyrogenitus, Boukoleon Palace, and Palace of Blachernae. Besides ‘Chokehold,’ Istanbul has hosted the production of several film projects over the years. Some notable ones are ‘Argo,’ ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy,’ ‘Cairo Conspiracy,’ ‘The Pit,’ and ‘McMafia.’
Çanakkale Province, Turkey
Situated in the northwestern part of Turkey, Çanakkale Province was another pivotal production location for ‘Chokehold.’ From the looks of it, the filming unit set up camp in the city of Assos, which also goes by the name of Behram and is located on the Aegean coast in Çanakkale Province, and recorded many key scenes on location. So, naturally, a few local sites might feature in the movie, including the Temple of Athena, the Ancient theatre of Assos, the well-preserved city walls from the 4th century BC, and a small pebbly beach.
Read More: Best Turkish Shows on Netflix
