Where Was The Way Filmed? Stunning Filming Locations Of The 2010 Comedy Flick!

Do you take immense pleasure in watching comedy films? If you do, then I’m sure you’ll love reading this article, where I discuss the hilarious drama movie, The Way. And also share with you where was The Way filmed.

The American-Spanish comedy drama flick, The Way was inspired by the real-life events that took place in Director Emilio Esveze’s life. The central story of this film revolves around the character of Tom, an American physician. Who is shown to embark on a religious journey to complete his son’s final wish? And travels through gorgeous locations in Europe.

Before hitting the theatres in Spain, The Way premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2010. Even though this adventure comedy film did not make huge commercial success, grossing just over $20 million in total box office collection. It was highly praised by critics for the brilliant performance exhibited by the actors on screen. The Way gathered 8 nominations and went on to win the Best Picture Award at Port Hueneme International Film Festival in 2011.

Now before I give a brief overview about the film. Let’s explore where was The Way filmed. So that you can enjoy the stunning filming locations of this awe-inspiring flick!

Where Was The Way Filmed? Let’s Know This Adventure Drama Flick Closely!!

Director Emilio Estevez, who can also be seen playing the pivotal role of Daniel in the film, was pretty sure about where he wanted to shoot The Way. The majority of the filming was done in Spain. While some establishing scenes of the film were shot in France and America. 

Principal photography began towards the end of September 2009 and was completed in more or less one and a month! However, while filming a pivotal sequence in Galicia, the production unit came across a huge problem. The ministers initially restrained the filming crew to shoot inside the Cathedral, which almost canned the entire project. But after persistently requesting the presiding body of Santiago de Compostela, the filming crew eventually succeeded to get permission to shoot the interior sequence of the Cathedral.

Now, it’s about time for us to deeply discuss, where was The Way filmed, and explore more about the exact shooting sites.

France | Europe

The opening sequence of the film, where Thomas is shown collecting the remains of his deceased son, was filmed in the French Commune of St. Jean Pied de Port. The filming crew captured the exterior shots of the railway station in this Commune. Later filmed the interior shots of a vacant shop, which was turned around by the unit to depict a coffee shop. Filming only lasted for about a week or so, after which the production unit moved overseas to Spain.

Spain | Europe

The majority of the filming was done in Spain, with respect to the Camino de Santiago, pilgrimage route. The production crew readily began filming in the autonomous community Navarre, located in northern Spain. The sequence where Thomas Avery appears to meet with the other travelers in a square was filmed in the bustling city of Pamplona, in this region. The filming crew shot the exterior shot of the “busy square” in the city, without any notable hassle. 

Another pivotal sequence of the movie was filmed in the Spanish town of Puente la Reina, which is also located in the Navarre region. The scene where Avery’s backpack gets stolen in the film was shot in this town.

The production crew then moved to the final filming destination of The Way in Spain. The interior scenes of the Cathedral, Santiago de Compostela located in the autonomous region of Galicia, were captured. Notably, the sequence of the mass and exterior shots of the Cathedral, came out brilliant on screen!

The ending outdoor shot of the film, where Thomas is shown scattering the ashes of his son, into the Atlantic Ocean, was shot in the coastal town of Muxia. No artificial lighting was used to capture this scene, as Director Estevez wanted to film using natural light.

California | USA

After completing the filming of the Holy pilgrimage, the production unit then arrived in the state of California. A renowned studio located in the city of Los Angeles was later used to film the remaining interior sequences. A set was constructed in the backlot of the studio, which was used to shoot the interior shots of the hotel and inn’s shown in the film.

Now, we will briefly discuss the plot of the film. So that you can get a clear understanding of the actual storyline. Plus you can also check out, Christmas in Evergreen, Practical Magic and Little Italy, which are equally entertaining, if not more!

Plot Of The Way | What’s It About

At the very beginning of the film, we are introduced to the character of Thomas Avery, an American doctor who is shown traveling to France to collect the cremated remains of his son, Daniel. After recovering from the mourning stage, Thomas thinks about completing the religious journey to Galicia that Daniel couldn’t finish.

Later, Avery embarks on the journey to Galicia, through the ancient route of Camino de Santiago. The lead actor then meets a bunch of new travelers along the way and tags along with them. The characters of Joost, Sarah and Jack, each share their story with Avery, and explain why the journey is special to them!

Midway through the film, the group of four travelers are shown to persevere through hard and dreary situations. Avery’s backpack, in which he’s carrying the ashes of his son, even gets stolen at one point, but the lead actor later retrieves it with the help of locals.

Towards the final quarter of the film, Avery suffers from a high fever as the Camino walk, affects him adversely. However, the other travelers appear to encourage him to muster up the courage, and complete Daniel’s final wish. Eventually, Thomas makes it to the Cathedral in Galicia and finishes the journey that his son couldn’t.

Final Words

Alright friends, now that you know where was The Way filmed, it’s time for us to part ways. I hope you enjoyed the read and found what you were looking for. Don’t forget to add your thoughts about this article in the comment section below. And be sure to check out other amazing articles on Viebly, as well.