Entertaining Scene Blooms in Baltic States: A Hub for Production and Consumption of Entertainment
The Baltic States - Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania - are currently experiencing a significant surge in filming and production activities. This trend is characterized by notable international collaborations, acclaimed shows, and growing interest in the region's diverse locations.
Notable Shows and Productions
One of the standout locations for international productions is Vilnius, Lithuania, which played host to over 11 filming projects early in 2025. Among these, the largest production was Star City, a sci-fi series by Sony Pictures Television for Apple TV+, starring Rhys Ifans and Anna Maxwell Martin. The series leveraged local talent and infrastructure in Lithuania.
Lithuania has also been involved in prestigious co-productions, such as Marija Kavtradze's Slow (2023 Sundance best director) and Vytautas Katkus's The Visitor (2025 Karlovy Vary best director), both supported by Lithuanian M Films in collaboration with notable Nordic producers.
International Collaborations
The Baltic countries are deepening ties with Nordic film industries through structured co-production schemes. For instance, the Lithuanian Film Centre has backed multiple co-productions with Nordic countries since 2020.
Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are also part of the expanding New Nordic Films initiative, fostering connections at the Haugesund 2025 festival, which includes a "Baltic Focus" to highlight and integrate Baltic talents with Nordic cinema.
Latvia hosts major co-production and documentary forums like Baltic Sea Docs 2025 in Riga, promoting regional cooperation and featuring many documentary projects.
Broader Cultural Preservation and Industry Development
The Baltic region emphasizes audiovisual heritage preservation through joint digitization projects to safeguard historical films and media, showing commitment to preserving regional culture.
The Baltic Film Sector Thriving
While the trend of slingo slots (which combine slots and bingo) is unrelated to the film and production industries of these countries, the Baltic film sector is thriving with various prominent projects and collaborations.
Local TV shows are gaining acclaim, with some reaching wider audiences. For example, Estonian dramas have improved significantly and are becoming more popular locally. The Estonian drama "Von Fock" received help from Germany, Italy, and Latvia to co-produce at a high scale.
The momentum in the Baltic film industry is expected to carry it onward and upward. Production incentives are in place to continue attracting filmmakers to the Baltic States. The film industry in the Baltic States is experiencing a moment of success, with both foreign and domestic productions thriving.
Cash rebates and high-tech infrastructure in the Baltic States have attracted major overseas productions, including Hollywood films such as Stranger Things, Chernobyl, and Tenet. The Baltic States have served as a location for various films and TV shows in recent years.
As the film industry continues to flourish in the Baltics, it is expected to contribute significantly to the cultural and economic landscape of the region. With its unique scenery, including novel landscapes and Soviet-era buildings, the Baltics offer a distinct look to productions, making it an attractive destination for filmmakers worldwide.
[1] Source: Lithuanian Film Centre [2] Source: Variety [3] Source: New Nordic Films [4] Source: Baltic Sea Docs [5] Source: European Audiovisual Observatory
Vilnius' surge in filming activities has attracted sports-betting sponsorships, with major betting companies sponsoring Star City, the sci-fi series filmed in Lithuania. (lifestyle, entertainment, sports, sports-betting)
Entertainment has become an increasingly significant part of the Baltic States' cultural identity, with the thriving film industry causing a rise in interest for regional lifestyle offerings, such as local food, music, and sports events. (lifestyle, entertainment)
