Dhruv Trivedi
‘The Unforgivable’ is an emotional drama about a woman who tries to piece her life back together after being in prison for 20 years. Ruth Slater is unable to shake off her crime and continues to be treated as a second-class citizen even as she searches for her long-lost sister. The indifferent urban environment where much of the film is set gives Ruth’s emotional journey a fitting backdrop, with scenes from the countryside giving brief but calming respite. Curious about where ‘The Unforgivable’ was filmed? We’ve got the story!
The Unforgivable Filming Locations
‘The Unforgivable’ was filmed in Canada across multiple locations. A good amount of studio filming was also involved, and principal photography reportedly began on February 3, 2020. However, production was then halted on March 13, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and seemingly resumed later that year on September 2 to finally wrap up in mid-October 2020.
Lead actress and co-producer Sandra Bullock described how surreal it was to film with stringent safety protocols and how she and co-star Viola Davis never got closer than 15 feet to each other. The scenes in which their characters are seen standing inches from each other were therefore edited to look like that. Now, let’s take a look at the specific locations where the film was shot!
Vancouver, British Columbia
Several locations in the bustling city of Vancouver give the film a lot of its urban backdrop and stand in for Seattle, Washington, where much of the story is set. The crew also spent time filming at the picturesque Queen Elizabeth Park, situated at 4600 Cambie Street. The Bloedel Floral Conservatory, located inside the park, is reportedly one of the spots used for shooting the film.
Surrey, British Columbia
Located on the Lower Mainland on the southern end of the Fraser River, the nearby city of Surrey also hosted the cast and crew. The shooting was carried out at Surrey City Hall, at 13450 104 Avenue. A few additional scenes of the Netflix production were also seemingly filmed on location in different spots in the city.
Burnaby, British Columbia
The production team also carried out studio filming of ‘The Unforgivable’ mainly at the Canadian Motion Picture Park Studios. The Sandra Bullock-starrer is reportedly one of the first Netflix-produced films to use the facility. The production facility is located just outside Vancouver at 8085 Glenwood Drive. Incidentally, Burnaby is known for its exceptional studio facilities, with the massive Bridge Studios also situated in the city.
Coquitlam, British Columbia
A few scenes also appear to have been shot in the city of Coquitlam, located in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. The busy urban center was likely used as a backdrop while filming in the city. Additionally, scenes featuring Ruth’s family farmhouse were seemingly shot in and around the picturesque countryside nearby.
Read More: Is The Unforgivable Based on a True Story?
