The Dutch/Belgian/Croatian film Rafael by Ben Sombogaart began a 30-day shoot on locations in Croatia on 30 September 2017, (Cast: Melody Klaver, Mehdi Meskar, Nabil Mallat). Rafael is the true story of a Dutch woman who tried to save her Tunisian husband from a refugee camp in Lampedusa, attracting a short burst of media attention. The film is directed by Oscar-nominated director Ben Sombogaart. It is his second film shot in Croatia. The Croatian coproducer is Siniša Juričić from Jaako Dobra Produkcija in collaboration with Nukleus film. The 1.2 m EUR budget film has registered with the Croatian Audiovisual Centre’s incentives programme. 'Many department heads were Croatian and that worked really well, so when line producer Ben Bouwmeester proposed to shoot in Croatia, I knew it would work well. The beautiful Croatian landscape and coast fits our story, and the involvement of the crew with the refugee story we are telling also adds to the joy of working here. We feel very confident we will be able to tell our story in the best possible way with the help of the Croatian crew and co-producer.', said Somobogaart. Locations in Zadar County: Obrovac, abandoned factory Glinica, Kruševo, Pag.
The Tourist was filmed on the island Pag, village Miškovići.
According to Siniša Juričić from Nukleus film, who is the executive producer, local professionals make 85 percent of the film crew.
Regarding foreign crews working in Croatia, the Croatian producer will coordinate the implementation of all measures necessary for cross-border entry and departure of all foreign members of film and TV crews, in line with the general guidelines of the Croatian Institute of Public Health on cross-border travel, self-isolation and quarantine.
Filmed on the island Pag in Zadar County, July 2019. Production: Pool Productions Germany + BAAM Production House Croatia.
We have been so happy by the way we've been treated in Croatia, by all people helping us in many places - adventure for us, said Dag Erik Pedersen, the host of Norwegian reality "Mesternes Mester".
Some of Croatia’s most popular tourist destinations – the islands of Hvar, Pag and Brač, the towns of Split, Trogir and Vodice, and one of the most beautiful coves in the Adriatic near Jablanac – have been transformed into a new, post-apocalyptic world over the past few weeks with lightning flashes and a sense of fear for the uncertain future for the Hollywood film.
