Vilnius Palace of Culture, Entertainment and Sports was founded in 1980; the building was designed by architect Algimantas Mačiulis. Today, it serves as a venue for seminars, conferences, sports competitions, rehearsals, and training. The interior is also worth visiting for the works of art preserved here: an impressive chandelier, a metal installation and a fresco.
VRM Palace impressed location manager Markus Bensch (Germany), who visited Lithuania in the summer of 2023. Markus is an experienced film professional who helped find shooting locations for such films as “V for Vendetta”, “Charlie’s Angels”, “Inventing Anne” and others. While looking around Vilnius, Markus noted that the VRM Palace is a well-preserved structure that is perfect for video shooting. “It can be turned into a hotel lobby, a congress center or a board headquarters. Although part of Vilnius architecture could play the role of Eastern European countries, it could just as well depict Western countries in the 60s, for example, the USA,” he said.
A number of scenes for one of the biggest film projects developed in Lithuania, the TV series “Chernobyl” were filmed in VRM Palace. It was the ballroom with Algimantas Mizgiris’ metal artwork on display where Boris Shecherbina (actor Stellan Skarsgård) gave an inspirational speech to the power plant workers that saved thousands of residents.
The movie “Eichman Show” was also shot in this remarkable building. What is more, the main staircase features on a promotional poster for the film! British actor Martin Freeman, best known for his role in the “Hobbit” trilogy, as well as Lithuanian actors Vaidotas Martinaitis, Džiugas Siaurusaitis, and others starred in the film that turned Vilnius into Israel.
In fact, one could argue that this is one of the most cinema-friendly locations in Vilnius, where such films and TV series as “Young Wallander”, “Oljefondet”, “Moscow Noir”, “Isaac”, “The 9th Step” were shot.
