Naman Shrestha
With Ira Sachs at the helm, ‘Passages,’ is a French romantic drama movie that showcases the complexities of modern relationships through the lives of Tomas, Martin, and Agathe. The narrative focuses on the male couple — Tomas and Martin — whose long-term marriage is threatened by the entry of a young school teacher named Agathe into Tomas’ life. Finding it hard to resist the temptation, Tomas begins having a passionate affair with Agathe. On the other hand, Martin indulges in an affair of his own, after which their marriage gets even more shaky.
Now, Tomas is forced to confront and make some tough life decisions that he might not be ready to deal with yet. Featuring heartfelt and compelling onscreen performances by Franz Rogowski, Ben Whishaw, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Erwan Kepoa Falé, Olivier Rabourdin, and Caroline Chaniolleau, the love triangle movie unfolds in Paris, with the protagonists spending time in their residence and at nightclubs across the city. Thus, if you are wondering where ‘Passages’ was filmed, allow us to fill you in on all the details and get rid of your curiosity!
Passages Filming Locations
‘Passages’ was filmed in France, particularly in and around Paris. As per reports, principal photography for the drama movie commenced in mid-November 2021 and seemingly wrapped up by the end of the year. So, without much ado, let us walk you through all the specific locations where the intense love triangle unfolds in the romantic movie!
Paris, France
The shooting for ‘Passages’ took place in different locales across the city of Paris, which is the capital of France. The production team reportedly set up camp at various neighborhoods, streets, and establishments to lens pivotal sequences against suitable backdrops. For instance, the cast and crew members were spotted taping several key portions of the movie in and around La Java, a nightclub located at 105 Rue du Faubourg du Temple in Paris. Unfortunately, it is temporarily closed as of writing.
In the early July 2023 interview with A Rabbit’s Foot, the director Ira Sachs was asked for his reasons for choosing Paris as the setting for the story of ‘Passages.’ Sachs explained, “Paris is a city that I feel very comfortable in, it’s a city that I spent a lot of time in when I was young, so it was formative for me. It’s a city where I’ve had relationships, breakups, tears, sex, all the things that create intimacy. So, setting this film in Paris, with these characters particularly, felt very natural.”
Since there are various intimate scenes throughout the movie, Indie Wire, during a conversation with the filmmaker in early August 2023, asked him the amount of difficulty he faced while shooting them and if he took the help of an intimacy coordinator. Sachs responded, “No, the relationship that I have with the actors was very trusting. They established for me the boundaries. And then there’s no conversation around what will be or what won’t be in the film. They share with me what they’re comfortable with, and we move from there.”
With the director and his team shooting multiple exterior scenes around the city of Paris, it is only natural that the backdrop includes numerous local landmarks and attractions. So, you might spot the iconic Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame de Paris, Arc de Triomphe, The Louvre, the Palais Garnier, and the Panthéon. Apart from ‘Passages,’ Paris has hosted the production of several movies and TV shows over the years. Some notable ones include ‘Love,’ ‘The Dreamers,’ ‘Me Before You,’ ‘Blue Is the Warmest Colour,’ ‘Heartstopper,’ and ‘Emily in Paris.’
Read More: Is Passages Based on a True Story?
