Sartaj Singh
With director Marc Forster at the helm, ‘White Bird’ expands upon the story and characters of ‘Wonder’ based on R. J. Palacio’s 2019 graphic novel, ‘White Bird: A Wonder Story.’ As a prequel and sequel to the 2017 movie, it takes us to 1942 as Sara Blum recounts her extraordinary experiences as a young Jewish girl in Nazi-occupied France during World War II. When Nazi troops begin rounding up Jewish citizens in her neighborhood, Sara is sheltered by Julien Beaumier, a boy with paralysis in one leg due to polio.
Sara and Julien retreat into the forest, where a kind woman helps them hide in her barn. As they spend time together in hiding, the two grow close and begin falling in love. The uplifting drama features increasing magical realism in its environments as the story progresses. When Sara and Julien briefly head out of the barn, they are surrounded by unearthly glows, symbolizing their burgeoning love that prevails over their dire circumstances.
Where Was White Bird Filmed?
Filming for ‘White Bird’ took place across various cities and towns throughout the Czech Republic in Central Europe. These included Prague, Kutná Hora, and Hrádek nad Nisou. The rural locations employed in the film are Štampach, Svatý Jan pod Skalou, Kolešov, and Hýskov. The historical backdrops were created through on-location filming and the use of a movie studio. Principal photography commenced in February 2021 under the tentative title ‘White Bird: A Wonder Story,’ and was wrapped up by April 21, 2021.
Director Forster expected substantial challenges while filming in the Czech Republic, having heard daunting stories of film crews struggling to get the sunlight needed for exterior shots due to the country’s perpetually overcast weather at that time of year. However, the opposite happened, making some members of the team think that they may have been supported by a higher power in creating their heartwarming story of healing. “Everybody in the crew said the sun is never out in the Czech Republic, and every day we came to a location to shoot, the sun was right at the perfect spot,” shared Forster in an interview. “The clouds literally parted. The sun was shining, we shot the scene, clouds came back, and we moved on… I felt like the movie was blessed somehow.”
Prague, Czech Republic
Situated on the Vltava River in the Czech Republic, the historic city of Prague became a major filming location for ‘White Bird’ owing to its robust filming infrastructure. The film’s studio work was carried out at the Barrandov Studio, and the woodland sequences were shot southwest of the city in the Brdy forests. Located at Kříženeckého nám. 322/5, Barrandov Studio is the largest film studio in the country, and its sets stand in for many of the French city backdrops seen in the movie. The studio has a 20th-century French street backlot and offers set construction support, which has seen the creation of historical backgrounds of 19th-century London, 15th-century Rome, and 14th-century Paris, among others.
Located southwest of Prague, the Brdy forests served as a key filming location for the outdoor scenes in ‘White Bird.’ Despite the dense forestation, the production team maneuvered filming cranes and other equipment into the off-road locations. This was necessary to provide visual effects for sequences of Sara and Julien growing closer. The forests are located on highlands and are favored by hikers, as they present challenging trails with quaint cottages to be found along the way.
Liberec, Czech Republic
A prominent historical location seen in the film is Grabštejn Castle, located in the Liberec district near the Czech Republic’s northern border. The majestic structure has stood atop a rocky hill since the 16th century and has been open to the public since World War II. In ‘White Bird,’ the castle depicts the school that the protagonists attend before the German troops storm it.
Kutná Hora, Czech Republic
Another filming location for ‘White Bird’ was the town of Kutná Hora, which is known for the awe-inspiring Gothic St. Barbara’s Church featuring flying buttresses and frescos. The center of Kutná Hora is a UNESCO World Heritage site recognized for its well-preserved medieval architecture that transports visitors to a past time. Situated east of Prague, the town’s historic streets and structures helped paint a vivid portrait of Nazi-occupied France.
Other Locations in the Czech Republic
In order to shoot scenes in rural landscapes, the production team ventured to the villages of Štampach, Kolešov, Svatý Jan pod Skalou, and Hýskov. Situated west of Prague, Kolešov village lies in the Rakovník District, providing scenic, rustic backdrops for ‘White Bird.’ In the Beroun District, Svatý Jan pod Skalou is a unique village set in a rocky valley, its distinct cliffs and greenery adding visually striking elements to the scenes shot there.
