Naman Shrestha
Loosely based on true events and inspired by the 2016 eponymous stand-up routine created and performed by the comedian and podcaster Bert Kreischer, ‘The Machine’ is an action comedy movie that stars the stand-up comedian himself as the fictionalized version of himself who performs his set about his true experiences with the Russian mobsters during a college trip. Fast forward to 23 years, his famous set and his college trip come back to haunt him as he and his estranged father get kidnapped back to Russia to make them pay for something they said or did in the past.
Bert and his father are forced to contemplate the past and things that their younger self might have said or done to offend the mobsters while they try to mend their fractured relationship. The Peter Atencio directorial, besides Bert Kreischer, features hilarious onscreen performances from a talented ensemble cast comprising Mark Hamill, Jimmy Tatro, Iva Babić, Stephanie Kurtzuba, and Jessica Gabor. The pacy storyline coupled with the ever so changing backdrops work well together to make for an enthralling watch. But at the same time, it might also spark questions in one’s mind regarding the film’s actual filming sites. If you have been wondering the same, we have got you covered!
The Machine Filming Locations
‘The Machine’ is filmed in Serbia, specifically in Belgrade, Sakule, Trešnja, and Surčin. According to reports, the principal photography for the comedy film commenced in late April 2021 and wrapped up after about 50 days of shooting in July of the same year. Due to the fact that the shooting took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, the film set maintained some strict rules for the health and safety of all the cast and crew members of the movie. Now, let’s get a detailed account of all the specific locations that make an appearance in the film!
Belgrade, Serbia
A major chunk of ‘The Machine’ was lensed in and around Belgrade, which is the capital of Serbia and situated at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers. In order to tape many pivotal sequences, especially the interior ones, the production team utilized the facilities of the PFI Studios at RS, 22310, Novo Naselje bb, in the town of Šimanovci, on the outskirts of Belgrade.
The film studio consists of eight state-of-the-art sound stages, production offices, dressing rooms, storage, wardrobe, and makeup & hair rooms. All these amenities make it a suitable filming site for different kinds of film projects. When it comes to the exterior shots of the film, you might be able to spot some historic areas and landmarks of Belgrade in the backdrop. Some of them are the National Museum, National Theatre, Nikola Pašić Square, the Kalemegdan Fortress, and Knez Mihailova Street.
Other Locations in Serbia
For shooting purposes, the filming unit of ‘The Machine’ also traveled to other locations across Serbia, including the village of Sakule, which is located in Serbia’s Opovo municipality. For recording several key exterior portions, including the forest scenes, the cast and crew members set up camp on location in Trešnja and the Forest of Bojčin, which is situated in the municipality of Surčin between the village of Progar, Boljevac, and Ašanja.
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