Have you always dreamt of walking through a film set or exploring iconic landscapes outside of the cinemas? In Brussels, it couldn't be easier! From Chantal Akerman, Jaco Van Dormael and Adil El Arbi, to Bilall Fallah and Sophie Barthes, a great many directors have chosen the capital, its streets, and its architecture as the backdrop for their films. From must-visit locations to more confidential architectural gems, here are some tips for a stroll through the cinematic side of Brussels. Revisit your classics and maybe even travel through time!
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© visit.brussels - Film Commission
1. Place Poelaert - “Dikkenek” (2006) Olivier Van Hoofstadt
To warm up, let's start with a two-fold cult location: place Poelaert. Backed by the monumental Palace of Justice and offering a breathtaking panorama of Brussels, its cinematic potential did not escape director Olivier Van Hoofstadt. He filmed one of the funniest scenes in Dikkenek here, where his hero, the colourful Claudy Focan, has his car stolen. The sunsets here are as splendid as on the Riviera!
2. The arcades of the Cinquantenaire - Fils de Joie (2022) by Stromae
Another unmissable icon of Brussels' heritage, the arcades of the Cinquantenaire unfold their impressive silhouette in the park of the same name. Built for the fiftieth anniversary of Belgium's independence, they are in practically every frame of Stromae's "Fils de Joie" music video. The video makes use of their monumentality to better stage a very solemn burial ceremony. The result is a clip that mobilised more than 500 extras and which the singer described as "the most ambitious of his career".
3. Bois de la Cambre - Supercondriaque (2014) by Dany Boon
As the capital’s green lung, it was only right that the Bois de la Cambre and its canopy appear in our selection of star locations. Director Dany Boon, who is also fond of filming in Belgium (the streets of Chimay or Namur also feature in his films!), chose the green lawns of this Brussels park for an iconic jogging scene in his crazy comedy Supercondriaque. The most observant may even recognise the silhouette of the Chalet Robinson in the background!
4. Basilica of Koekelberg – 1985 (2023) by Wouter Bouvijn
Ranked 5th among the largest churches in the world, it wins the award for the largest Art Deco building ever built! With all these distinctions (and have we mentioned the breathtaking view of the capital and its surroundings?), it seemed obvious to find the Basilica of Koekelberg on the big screen! It appears in the series 1985, a police drama about unsolved crimes filmed largely in Brussels.
Chantal Akerman en 1986 © Jean Ber - Fondation Chantal Akerman
Chantal Akerman, a Brussels director honoured
In December 2022, Belgian director Chantal Akerman made headlines. Her film, Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du commerce, 1080 Bruxelles, entirely shot in Brussels (as the title would suggest!), has just been voted the best film of all time by the British magazine Sight and Sound. A few months later, a tribute mural, inspired by the legendary film, was created in the heart of the canal district and close to the film's shooting location!
5. Matongé - Black (2014) by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah
Animated, cosmopolitan, and bursting with flavours from far-flung lands, Matongé is THE Africandistrict of Brussels. Located between Chaussée de Wavre and Porte de Namur, its stalls, shops, and galleries with their unique energy inspired Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, the directors of Black. Released in 2014, this feature film made headlines by recounting the clashes between rival gangs against the backdrop of a passionate love story. It’s strikingly realistic!
1. The Le Logis and Floréal Garden Cities of Boitsfort – Toto le Héros (1991) by Jaco Van Dormael
Small villages in the city, the garden cities of Le Logis and Floréal immerse us in the heart of the 1930s. With their charming cottage style, cherry blossom-lined streets, and brightly coloured shutters, they seem straight out of a children's book. At numbers 12 and 14 rue du Friquet, director Jaco Van Dormael filmed the childhood of the main character in his film Toto le Héros. The scene with the dancing tulips (shot in one of the gardens of the workers' city) was both funny and poetic, leaving a lasting impression.
2. The Royal Saint-Hubert Galleries - The Danish Girl (2015) by Tom Hooper
For over 175 years, the Royal Saint-Hubert Galleries have displayed their grand architecture in the heart of Brussels. With their glass roof resembling a "crystal palace", their iron and glass architecture punctuated with nods to the Italian Renaissance, they are (in more ways than one) one of the capital's jewels. Their incredible, 213m-long perspective is seen in the moving biographical film The Danish Girl. Matthias Schoenaerts and Alicia Vikander stroll through them before settling at the à la Mort Subite café for a tête-à-tête over a bottle of Meursault.
3. Béguinage - Les Misérables (2018-2019) by Andrew Davies
Before embodying Emily in Paris, Lily Collins first played Fantine in Brussels. While the novel Les Misérables takes place in the Paris of the 1830 Revolution, part of the mini-series inspired by Victor Hugo's masterpiece was filmed (in part) in Brussels. Jean Valjean, Javert, or Cosette could thus stroll in front of the baroque Italo-Flemish facade of the Church of Saint John the Baptist at the Béguinage, or on the green lawns of Brussels Park.
4. Villa Empain - Le Fidèle (2016) by Michaël R. Roskam
Take breathtaking car races, add grandiose gangster affairs and an incandescent love story, mix it all with brilliance, and you get: Le Fidèle! by Mickael R. Roskam, this drama blends action and passion. Among the sequences filmed in Brussels, the shootout scene in the grand marble hall of Villa Empain stands out. The legendary residence of the eponymous Baron now houses the activities of the Boghossian Foundation, a centre for art and dialogue between Eastern and Western cultures. On screen, the contrast between the refined architecture of the Art Deco building and the violence of the armed intervention is disturbingly beautiful.
© visit.brussels - Jean-Paul Remy
The 7th art, 6 feet under
Who ever said that cemeteries can’t be photogenic? In Brussels, these beautiful places of rest offer timeless settings. Covered in vegetation, Dieweg Cemetery has been abandoned since 1958, giving its alleys an unparalleled charm. Another cemetery, another atmosphere: Laeken Cemetery welcomes Brussels VIPs (including members of the royal family) in the shadow of the splendid adjoining Gothic church. Films like Bonhoeffer (2023), Le Fidèle (2016), or Mon Ange (2004) filmed scenes there.
5. Théâtre du Vaudeville - Grond (2022) by Mathieu Mortelmans, Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah
Experienced TV series enthusiasts may have heard of Grond, a 100% Belgian quirky tragicomedy. It follows the adventures of two friends, Ismaël and JB, endearing losers and kings of failed inventions. The series tackles profound subjects such as grief and the repatriation of the deceased from Belgium to the Maghreb, without losing its sense of the absurd. Our budding entrepreneurs are found in the plush red velvet seats of the Théâtre du Vaudeville during a hilarious award ceremony scene. This theatre, a listed historical monument nestled in the Queen’s Gallery, has existed since 1884.
Discover Brussels through 8 films
'Black', 'Le Tout Nouveau Testament' and 'La vie d'Adèle' are just a few of the film productions that have chosen Brussels as their location. After all, our capital is now a popular film set!