Lithuania
Lithuania is known for its castles, lakes and forests, wheat and barley fields, seaside and beaches, winding car commercial roads, industrial estates, and Soviet-era architecture.
Vilnius is the capital and main production centre. The city is small so it’s easy for visiting productions to move between locations. Vilnius is known for its well preserved Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture. Specific locations of note include the beautiful Cathedral Square, Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, St. Anne’s Church, Gediminas Castle Tower, and The Gate of Dawn.
The former capital Kaunas is known for museums, galleries, palaces, and parks. Locations of note include Kaunas Castle, Pažaislis Monastery, and Town Hall Square.
Trakai National Park is best known for Trakai Island Castle.
Cost & Rebates
Lithuania trades in the Euro. Depending on your shoot, more specialised crew and equipment may need to be brought in. Generally speaking, even with that factored in, Lithuania is still one of the least expensive places to film in Europe. On average it is less expensive than neighbouring Latvia and Estonia. Our Lithuanian fixer / service producer will negotiate local deals and provide the appropriate level of production support to match every budget. Lithuania offers a 20% sponsor tax credit for qualifying co-productions.
When To Shoot
Lithuania has a typical four-season climate with white winters (December to March), spring in full bloom (April to May), warm summers (June to September), and colourful leaves in fall (October to November). Spring through to fall are the best months to film for weather.
Visa Information
Lithuania is a member of the Schengen Area. Only certain countries need visas and there is no need for work permits. Visiting US film crews can enter visa-free for a period of up to 90 days. Contact your local Lithuanian embassy / representative for more information.
Cast, Crew & Equipment
Lithuania has a small pool of local directors, directors of photography and stills photographers. Lithuanian crews are known to be efficient, hard working and flexible with day rates and working hours. Department heads all speak fluent English. Crews are often sourced from other Baltic countries giving the region a depth of 5-6 good crews. Bringing in specialist crew is recommended for more complicated jobs. Lithuania’s close proximity to major European production centres allows easy access to those technical and creative crews. Talent is non-union. Day rates and buyouts are negotiable. Lithuania has mainly Slavic and Scandinavian looking featured talent. Most other talent looks need to be cast abroad. Lithuania’s close proximity to major European production centres allows easy access to those pools of talent should you ever need to look further. Lithuania has standard lighting, grip and camera packages including REDs and Alexas. Nearby Latvia, Finland and Germany are the closest countries to bring in more specialized equipment. For productions looking to bring in film equipment Lithuania is an ATA carnet country.