Arka Mukhopadhyay
Rebecca Hall has showcased her acting talent in numerous movies, including ‘The Prestige’ and ‘Vicky Cristina Barcelona.’ With the black-and-white independent drama film ‘Passing,’ Hall makes her first foray as a writer-director. Based on the eponymous Harlem Renaissance novella by Nella Larsen, the story follows two high school friends whose unexpected reunion would give rise to a mutual obsession. Their masks are about to come off. Although it generally applies to people of any race, in the context of the film, the title primarily refers to the people of mixed-race who pass off as white to bypass social prejudices.
The Alexander Skarsgard, Tessa Thompson, Ruth Negga, and André Holland starrer drama is filmed in black and white, although the story veers off to the gray areas of life. Upon its premiere, the movie was highly praised by critics because of its delicate directorial approach, meditative camerawork, and steady handling of an onerous theme. Most of the story unfolds in the Harlem district of New York City in the 1920s. Now, you must be eager to track down the locations where the movie was filmed. Well, let us find out!
Passing Filming Locations
‘Passing’ was filmed in its entirety in the US, particularly in the state of New York. Principal photography commenced in November 2019 and was wrapped up by December of the same year. The state of New York features idyllic locations, mountains, jungles, and urban landscapes, making it possible for the state to be passed off as diverse territories. The directors are drawn to the exuberant culture of the state, and the lucrative tax credit promoted by the state government eases the burden on the producers’ pockets. Let us now take you to the specific locations where the movie was filmed!
New York City, New York
The director opted to film the entire movie in and around the Big Apple, staying true to the original story. Clare Bellew is an elite socialite in upstate NY. The director and her crew roamed across the city to film pertinent scenes. The shooting took place in the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood of New York. A horde of antique cars was brought into the set to make the period feel more prominent. The crew made an elaborate set on Columbia Place, where a veterinarian clinic was turned into a hardware store, while a laundromat doubled as an eatery.
The production team also filmed scenes in Holler & Squall, an antique furniture store located at 304 Henry Street in the Brooklyn district. The shop stood in for a toy store. Also presumably featured in a scene is The Roxy Hotel, a four-star hotel located at 2 6th Avenue in New York City. The director, however, took excellent care to hide location markers, making the detection somewhat tricky. However, as a historic metropolis by the Atlantic, New York City is an essential hub in national and global culture. From ‘The Godfather’ to ‘American Psycho,’ it has served as the backdrop for a plethora of films.
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