Vilnius’s cinematic character comes to life through the productions filmed here. This time, we invite you to discover the stories created in the capital and already released on screen. Which of them did we see in 2025?
Number 24
In 2023, the Lithuanian-Norwegian co-production “Agent Number 24” was shot in Vilnius. “Agent Number 24” was the nickname given to the Norwegian Gunnar Sønsteby, who led Europe’s most successful resistance group. Putting aside his personal life, forgoing women, alcohol, and leisure activities, he resisted the Gestapo of Nazi Germany for many years. Most of the film was shot in Lithuania, in Vilnius and Kaunas. For example, the Lithuanian Biomedical and Allied Sciences Library located on Kaštonų Street became the Oslo Parliament Building, near which a bomb exploded.
“When creating films set in Norway, we do not always shoot them here. Sometimes we look for similar-looking locations abroad, just like we did in this case. Part of Lithuania has a lot of similarities with Norway and Oslo in terms of its landscape and cities in terms of their architecture, and one can find impressive places here that can depict the early 19th century or even the Middle Ages,” the producer of the film “Agent Number 24,” Espen Horn, says.
The film is available on Netflix.
Whiskey on the Rocks
Do you remember that in 2023 the political Swedish TV series “Whiskey on the Rocks” was also shot in the capital of Lithuania? The tense political drama takes you to the period of Ronald Reagan and Leonid Brezhnev’s leadership and the political crisis that arose during it, in 1981, due to a Soviet submarine stuck in the Swedish military protection zone. The shooting took place a year ago and turned the Lithuanian capital city into Stockholm.
For example, the wooden and Scandinavian-style buildings dotting the Žvėrynas neighborhood were transformed into a residential area of Stockholm, where the political characters of the series settled. Meanwhile, the Scandinavian-style Composers’ House, opened in Žvėrynas in 1966, is featured against the backdrop of important political decisions—in the series, the building serves as a work and recreation space for government representatives.
Besides Žvėrynas, Kaštonų Street, located in the city center, also played the Swedish capital. Historic cars zoomed around the Library of Medicine, and artificial rain was used to create the right atmosphere.
“Whiskey on the Rocks” is available on Hulu and Disney+.
Paradis City
In 2023, the Swedish TV series Paradis City was filmed in Vilnius. The tense storyline is set in Sweden in the near future, where rising social conflicts lead to the construction of protective walls in various areas to safeguard residents. The largest of these settlements is Järva, also known as Paradise City. Due to its resemblance to Swedish residential areas, a significant portion of the series was filmed in the Naujoji Vilnia district.
“Out of many possible locations, we chose Naujoji Vilnia because of its architecture and the style characteristic of Sweden. We were also fascinated by the vibrant atmosphere of the local market—it was immediately clear that we wanted to turn this place into one of our key filming locations,” one of the producers, Jakob Jonas, previously told the Vilnius Film Office.
One of the series’ main scenes takes place at the Naujoji Vilnia market, where a popular yet controversial Swedish minister of the interior is kidnapped. During filming, protective fences against rioters were erected, gunshots echoed through the area, and a large crowd of extras gathered for mass scenes.
The series is available to watch on Prime Video.
Truth and Treason
The US TV series “Truth and Treason” was shot in Vilnius in 2024. Based on shocking true events, the story transforms the Lithuanian capital into 1940s Hamburg.
The series, based on a true story, transported the audience to Hamburg, in Nazi-run Germany. A young member of the Hitler Youth secretly listens to banned BBC radio broadcasts denouncing the Nazi war machine. Inspired by these shows, Helmuth Hübener becomes convinced that Hitler is not the savior of the nation but a deceiver. When his friend is sent to a concentration camp, Helmuth finally decides to act. Using his most potent weapon, the written word, and inviting two of his peers to join him, he begins distributing leaflets revealing Hitler’s true nature.
Shooting took place between April and July 2024, with many Old Town streets, including A. Volano, Šv. Mykolo, Bernardinų, and Bokšto, featuring prominently on screen, along with Pasažas Square and the former Vilnius Juozas Tallat-Kelpša Conservatory on Didžioji Street.
A number of Lithuanian film professionals joined the “Truth & Treason” team, including costume designer Rūta Lečaitė, makeup artists Božena Moisejenko and Jurga Globytė, production designer Jurga Gerdvilaitė, art directors Ramūnas Rastauskas and Donatas Pirštelis, and sound mixer Marius Blažys. The main cinematographer was supported by Laura Aliukonytė, Audrius Zelenius, and Julius Sičiūnas.
The series is available to watch on Prime Video.
Smilla’s Sense of Snow
In 2023, the German-produced TV series Smilla was filmed in various locations around Vilnius. The series is based on the bestselling novel Smilla’s Sense of Snow by Danish author Peter Høeg.
The story follows the main character as she attempts to uncover the true cause of the death of a child from an Inuit immigrant family, gradually becoming entangled in a much larger, supernatural mystery.
Scenes for the series were shot on Aukštaičių, Vilniaus, and Birutės streets, in Vincas Kudirka Square, while Pasažas Alley was transformed into a futuristic Copenhagen.
The series is available to watch on Apple TV.
