Naman Shrestha
A remake of the classical award-winning movie of the same name directed by Atıf Yılmaz, Netflix’s ‘Oh Belinda’ (originally titled ‘Aaahh Belinda’) is a Turkish comedy-drama movie helmed by Deniz Yorulmazer. The narrative follows a young budding actress named Dilara who agrees to star in a shampoo commercial. However, her picture-perfect and smooth life takes an unexpected turn when during the commercial shoot, she gets transported to the world of her character, Handan. At first, she struggles to get a grip on the situation and then she tries to convince people that she is not Belinda but Dilara as she tries everything she can to get back to the normal world.
Starring Neslihan Atagül Doğulu, Serkan Çayoğlu, Necip Memili, Meral Çetinkaya, Beril Pozam, and Efe Tunçer, the comedy film mostly unfolds in an alternate world of the commercial’s character but there hardly seems to be any distinguishing factor in terms of visuals and sites. The parallels between the two worlds make it hard for Dilara to come to terms with the fact that she is indeed stuck in a different world. At the same time, it makes the viewers curious about the where and the how of the production of ‘Oh Belinda.’
Oh Belinda is Filmed in Istanbul
‘Oh Belinda’ was filmed entirely in Turkey, especially in and around Istanbul. Principal photography for the comedy-drama film seemingly commenced around May 2022 and wrapped up by the end of June of the same year. So, let’s not waste any time and take a look at all the specific locations that appear in the Netflix movie!
Istanbul, Turkey
All the pivotal sequences for ‘Oh Belinda’ were reportedly lensed in Istanbul and surrounding areas, with the production team making the most of the vast and versatile terrains of the Turkish city. Be it the modern cityscape or the historical landmarks, the film manages to give the viewers the best of both worlds and provide an immersive experience. While the exterior portions are probably mostly shot on location, some important indoor scenes might actually have been taped in a soundstage of two of one of the film studios located in and around the city’s vicinity.
Moreover, in the exterior shots of ‘Oh Belinda,’ it is highly likely for you to spot some iconic and historical landmarks in the backdrop as Istanbul is home to many such sites. Some of the attractions and places of historical significance in the city are Abdi İpekçi Street in Nişantaşı, Bağdat Avenue, the Grand Bazaar, the Spice Bazaar, Zorlu Center, the Hagia Irene, the Chora Church, and the Church of Theotokos Pammakaristos. Over the years, the locales of Istanbul have been featured in many film projects besides ‘Oh Belinda.’ Some of the notable ones are ‘Aftersun,’ ‘Dolunay,’ ‘The Rebound,’ ‘You Knock on My Door,’ and ‘As If.’
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