Where Was Fair Play Filmed? A Stunning Erotic Thriller Drama!

Netflix’s latest erotic thriller movie, Fair Play (2023), has made quite a splash after its recent release. The erotic thriller drama film follows a couple madly in love who soon turn against each other. When the power dynamics shift in their relationship, things start to get sour between them. In this article, I’ll discuss the movie and tell you where was Fair Play filmed.

Fair Play features Bridgerton star Phoebe Dynevor in the lead, along with Alden Ehrenreich. Dynevor is an English actor who became famous for her role as Daphne in the Netflix original period drama series. She has also starred in British TV shows like Waterloo Road and Prisoners’ Wives. 

Alden Ehrenreich, who also plays one of the leads, came to prominence after starring in the WB series Supernatural. He has collaborated with some of Hollywood’s top directors, including Francis Ford Coppola, Christopher Nolan, and the Coen Brothers. A few of the other vital roles in the erotic thriller film are played by Eddie Marsan, Rich Sommer, Sebastian de Souza, Geraldine Somerville, and Patrick Fischler.

Now let’s discuss where was Fair Play filmed; the erotic thriller drama movie was filmed in Serbia, Belgrade. 

From director and screenwriter Chloe Domont, Fair Play premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on 20 January 2023, followed by its limited release on 29 September 2023 in the US. The erotic thriller drama film was made available on Netflix on 6th October 2023. However, let me tell you more about the filming locations.

Where Was Fair Play Filmed? Fair Play Filming Locations!

Chloe Domont’s Fair Play garnered great responses from critics. Times’ Kevin Maher gave the movie four out of five stars, praising the storyline. Variety‘s Owen Gleiberman applauded Domont’s outstanding direction and screenplay. Not to mention the cast’s performances were also highly praised by many other critics. 

Fair Play is Domont’s first movie, and I must admit that she has undoubtedly done a fabulous job. The erotic thriller drama film received a high score of 87% on Rotten Tomatoes and a rating of 6.6 on IMDb. However, without much ado, let’s get into the details of where was Fair Play filmed.

Belgrade, Serbia

You’d be pretty surprised to know that even though the movie is set in New York City, it was filmed in Belgrade, Serbia. Principal photography of the erotic thriller drama film commenced in January 2022. A significant portion of the movie was filmed in and around Belgrade.

The movie’s director, Chloe Domont, selected Belgrade for filming because of the city’s similar landscape. Several important scenes were shot on location. The cast and crew filmed in different neighborhoods and areas that looked similar to the neighborhoods of the Big Apple. Belgrade is the capital of Serbia and is situated at the confluence of the Danube and Sava rivers. Fair Play is one of those pressure cooker-thrillers that build up tension slowly until it reaches the tipping point.

Domont went ahead and used different layers of sounds in various scenes between Emily and Luke to create a ticking time bomb effect as the tension between the characters increased. Many people who already watched the movie were surprised to find out that it was filmed in Belgrade and not NYC. If you did not look too carefully, you would think that the movie was filmed in New York City. 

It is a common thing when it comes to shooting movies. Most films are set in one place and filmed in another. To give you an idea, Christian Bale’s crime thriller film American Psycho was shot in Toronto, Escape From New York was filmed in Atlanta, and Martin Scorsese’s crime drama movie was shot in Italy. So, you see, it’s nothing new.

Domont, in an interview, talked about the movie’s interior scenes. She explained that most of the interior scenes were filmed on a built-in stage. Production designer Steve Summergrill was responsible for building all the sets from scratch. Domont also added that he was extremely particular, even about the most minor details, and ensured the set looked authentic on screen.  

Other movies and TV shows like Minamata, That’s My Life, Next to You, Despite The Falling Snow, and The White Crow were also filmed in Belgrade, Serbia.

Plot Of Fair Play (2023) | Everything Is Fair In Love!

The story of Fair Play revolves around the characters of Emily, played by Phoebe Dynevor, and Luke, played by Alden Ehrenreich. Emily and Luke have a serious relationship and love each other a lot. They both work as analysts at a prominent Manhattan hedge fund company. Soon, Luke proposes to Emily, which she happily accepts.

While at work, Emily overheard her boss discussing promoting Luke as the company’s new portfolio manager. She gets excited about it and breaks the news to him. The next day, when both of them arrive at the office, the company’s CEO, Campbell, summons Emily, and instead of promoting Luke, he promotes her. Soon, out of jealousy and resentment, their relationship becomes sour and takes an unexpected turn.

Final Words

If you’ve never been to Belgrade, Serbia, I suggest you visit sometime. Belgrade is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and a global tourist spot. However, Fair Play is available to stream on Netflix, so if you haven’t seen the movie yet, you better watch it soon. And to read more such fascinating articles, keep visiting the Viebly website.