UK series Hotel Portofino filming third season in Rijeka: “We feel at home here”

(Photo credit: Hotel Portofino/Press)

In the Rijeka neighborhood of Potok, a large film set is being prepared today for the filming of the third season of the British historical drama series Hotel Portofino, produced by Eagle Eye Productions from London.

This is just one of several locations where the city of Rijeka will portray the popular Italian destination Portofino in the 1920s, the setting of this television hit, which has been filmed in the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County for the third year in a row.

The film crew of the third season of Hotel Portofino, directed by Jon Jones, has been in the Kvarner region since June of this year. Besides Zagreb, they have already filmed at numerous locations in the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County. First and foremost, there is Lovran, where a villa stands in for Hotel Portofino, and local viewers will also recognize scenes from Opatija and Klana in the new season.

(Photo credit: Hotel Portofino/Press)

The third season of this historical drama focuses on the development of Portofino, in contrast to the previous two seasons. Thus, the city of Rijeka as a film backdrop excellently captures the maturation of the environment and the sense of urbanity that envelops the titular city, as emphasized by Belgian series producer Christopher Arcache during a media conference held in the Salon of the City of Rijeka to mark the beginning of filming in the Rijeka area.

(Photo credit: Hotel Portofino/Press)

The uniqueness of this major television project, the largest to date in the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County and Croatia, is also based on the fact that the service production is handled by the Croatian production company Drugi plan, which previously gained recognition for showcasing the city of Rijeka in Dalibor Matanić’s series “Novine.” They have managed to assemble a predominantly Croatian film crew, except for the director, producer, and makeup artist.

(Photo credit: Hotel Portofino/Press)

“This project is important to us primarily because we managed to film three seasons, which is a great success. Moreover, almost all members of the film crew are Croatians, which is not common in service productions. In other cases, foreigners usually fill most positions, but here, except for the director, producer, and makeup artist, everyone is Croatian. We are very pleased with this achievement,” said Miodrag Sila, who, along with Nebojša Taraba, has been leading the successful production story of Drugi plan for several years.

Tanja Ladović Blažević, the head of the Department for Encouraging Investment in Audiovisual Production at the Croatian Audiovisual Centre, also expressed pride in the project’s success and mentioned the center’s support through a financial incentive of 25 percent for filming in Croatia. She noted that service productions typically involve mostly foreign film crews, making Hotel Portofino an exception due to its predominantly Croatian team.

(Photo credit: Hotel Portofino/Press)

“When it comes to service productions, the highest positions are usually reserved for foreign film crews. Hotel Portofino is a true exception, and I congratulate them for that. They are doing an excellent job because filming the third season is a huge success,” said Ladović Blažević. She emphasized that Rijeka and the Kvarner region always stand out as fantastic locations in the film industry, a fact confirmed by this year’s shootings in the Kvarner area. Out of ten major projects filmed in Croatia this year, four have already been shot in the Rijeka area, and one more is planned for September.

Dean Lalić and Tomislav Peleski, location managers, stressed the importance of good collaboration with both local authorities and the local community. They are pleased with the straightforward communication with all institutions, cities, and municipalities, which makes Rijeka an attractive destination for large productions that return here with pleasure once they discover the city and the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County.

(Photo credit: Hotel Portofino/Press)

“We feel at home here, which makes us very happy, and if luck is on our side, we will continue filming here. Rijeka and its surroundings have always been welcoming to the film industry, and we have always felt welcome,” concluded Miodrag Sila, expressing satisfaction with the filming conditions they have experienced so far.

Rijeka’s city authorities are also providing wholehearted support for the series, recognizing the numerous benefits that such large and publicly exposed projects bring to the city, both culturally and in terms of tourism and the economy.

(Photo credit:Press)

“The doors of our house, our city, will always be open because we know that the film industry is important not only for Croatian filmmakers but also for the development of other industries, the economy, and tourism in a broader sense,” said Deputy Mayor Sandra Krpan, thanking everyone involved in promoting Rijeka as an important and valuable film destination.