Hollywood Shooting Closes off Athens’ Syntagma Square

Syntagma Square, Athens © Maria Theofanopoulou

Athens’ central Syntagma Square will be closed off on Sunday 10 March, for the filming needs of Born to be Murdered, a joint US-Italian Hollywood production.

Producers were in Zagori and Trikala last month, where 120 local walk-ons were selected for scenes of the movie, which will be completely filmed in Greece, and set to hit the screens in 2020.    

As of late, Greece has actively been working to attract foreign film producers to shoot in the country. 

More specifically, all roads surrounding Syntagma Square will be cordoned off on Sunday, and no parking or will be allowed. According to a statement issued by the Greek Police, measures come into force from 6am to 6pm on Sunday, on the following streets and areas:

The King George Palace hotel overlooking Syntagma Square.

– Stadiou St.
– the section between Amerikis St and Syntagma Square.
– Vas Georgiou Ave,
– the whole of Syntagma Square.

Crews will also be filming on Monday – a national holiday in Greece – between 7am and 6pm but the area will not be roped off, the Athens Municipality said, adding that for two days Athens’ “Syntagma Square and surrounding road network will be transformed into a large filming location” and calling on city dwellers and visitors to show understanding and cooperation, particularly in view of the international visibility it will provide the city and country.

Born to be Murdered features John David Washington (BlacKkKlansman, 2018, Spike Lee), and is directed by Italian Ferdinando Cito Filomarino, who won the European Film Award for Best Short Film for Diarchy. Other works he participated in include Call Me By Your Name and I Am Love, directed   the film’s producer, Luca Guadagnino.

Meteora, Greece. Photo © Andrei Pop / Shutterstock

An English-language mystery, the film’s plot has yet to be announced but will include takes in the remote mountainous area of Northwestern Greece – Trikala, Meteora, Zagori, Kalambaka – and Athens.

Producers and the director have been in Greece shooting the film since February 25. The are expected to complete the project in Kalambaka and Meteora by March 25.