Prerna Singh
Based on Jon Krakauer’s book of the same name, ‘Under the Banner of Heaven’ is a true-crime limited series created by Dustin Lance Black. The psychological drama follows Detective Jeb Pyre as he looks into the horrifying double murders of Brenda Lafferty and her young daughter. The heinous crime is committed by brothers Ron and Dan Lafferty, who are members of a small fundamentalist sect called the School of Prophets.
As Ron claims that he acted on the instructions given by God, Pyre begins questioning his faith. The chilling visuals juxtapose faith with the heartless actions of the Lafferty brothers. Since the storyline is set in 1980s Utah, you must be wondering if the show was also lensed in the state. Well, we’ve got the answers to satisfy your curiosity!
Under the Banner of Heaven Filming Locations
‘Under the Banner of Heaven’ was filmed in Alberta, particularly in Calgary, Carstairs, and several other places in the Canadian province. This is not the first time that a Canadian location has been used to shoot a series or film set in the USA. ‘Fargo,’ ‘The Last of Us,’ and ‘Billy the Kid’ are all fine examples of USA-set series lensed in Alberta. Reports revealed that filming for the true-crime-based show took place from mid-August 2021 to early December 2021. Now, allow us to share all that we know about the places that feature in the psychological drama.
Calgary, Alberta
The city of Calgary serves as an important production site for the show. The team particularly shot a few exterior sequences at Stephen Avenue in the downtown area, which is known for its cafes, pubs, restaurants, and bars. Apart from what seemed like strip clubs and a diner in the shots lensed on Stephen Avenue, one can even spot The Palace Theatre. The iconic live music venue is at least a hundred years old. During filming, the outdoor set was dressed to suit the 1980s setting of the narrative by using neon-lit signs and vintage-looking vehicles.
Another notable filming site in Calgary is reportedly the McDougall Centre, which is located at 455 6 Street South West. Listed on the Alberta Register of Historic Places, the landmark building serves as the provincial government center for southern Alberta. In addition, the production team might have used some provincial parks and protected ecological areas for lensing a small portion of the series.
Since the church is a central part of the narrative, it seems that important chunks of the show were filmed at St. Peter’s Anglican Church on 903 75 Avenue South West. Moreover, a few sequences were possibly shot in the town of Crossfield, which is a part of the Calgary Metropolitan Region. As per sources, there were discussions about a vacant former bank building in the town being used for recording a few scenes.
Carstairs, Alberta
Another prominent filming location is the town of Carstairs, which is about 30 miles north of Calgary. During the filming, the cast and crew were welcomed with a lot of warmth and excitement by the locals. Some scenes were shot at a house on McCrimmon Drive and the surrounding area. Apparently, the team set up base behind a retirement home called the Chinook Winds Seniors Lodge.
Although the crew tried to minimize any inconvenience that might be caused, some traffic disruptions in and around McCrimmon Drive and Macintosh Drive were unavoidable. In fact, a driving sequence was lensed on Gough Road between 10th Avenue and Macintosh Drive. The filming crew seemingly utilized the area near the Carstairs Curling Club as well.
Other Locations in Alberta
Situated about 68 miles from Calgary, the town of Drumheller features in the show. The production team did an excellent job capturing the badlands as the dry and eerie terrain creates a dramatic atmosphere on the screen. It was reported that the town of Strathmore also supported the production of this true-crime show. Some of you may even recognize Mainstreet in the town of Didsbury in a few shots.
Read More: Best True Crime Documentaries on Netflix
