The newly released Hallmark holiday film “My Norwegian Holiday” transports viewers to the picturesque city of Bergen, Norway for a heartwarming story about finding love and reflecting Norwegian culture on the canvas.
Directed by David Mackay from a script of Betsy Morris, the holiday romance movie stars Hallmark sweetheart Rhiannon Fish in the lead role of JJ, a woman grieving the loss of her grandmother and looking for some inspiration to live her life.
The movie showcases the beautiful locations of Bergen, Norway and captures the essence of a charming Norwegian winter wonderland. Here are the key details on its filming locations.
Where Was My Norwegian Holiday Filmed?
My Norwegian Holiday was primarily filmed in Ireland, while several of the outdoor scenes were done in Bergen, the second largest city in Norway, located on the country’s west coast.
Filming took place throughout the city of Bergen and Ireland (TV2 reported) in September 2023. The shooting wrapped on Sep 23, the child actress Francesca shared on her Instagram.
Since the movie is set around Christmas time, the production used artificial snow machines, spruce trees, and white art powder to transform Bergen into a winter wonderland scene.
The area surrounding Bergen and the iconic Bryggen harbor district provided a perfect holiday backdrop for the shooting of My Norwegian Holiday, while iconic Nordic architecture, fjords, and mountains created a heartwarming scenery to appeal the viewers.
Salong Bryggen Gallery
The Salong Bryggen Gallery is a real art gallery, located at Bryggen 16, 5003 Bergen, Norway and is open for the public. It has a collection of a variety of sculptures, pottery, and paintings, and is also a popular spot for Christmas shopping.
Production chose the Art gallery to shoot some scenes because they wanted to show us some of the most dramatic views of the Scandinavian country, which is way too expensive to visit.
This was the reason why the team decided to shoot all the interiors in Ireland because it’s cheaper to film there.
Can you recognize the scenes which were actually shot on location in Bergen? Leave a comment.
Behind the Scenes
Bergen has growing reputation as a filming location, with its striking natural scenery. Fun fact – parts of the Disney movie Frozen 2 were also filmed in this region!
Even though, it’s an animation, the fictional Arendelle village was inspired from Bergen city. Come to think of it, a third Frozen film is in the works.
In behind-the-scenes photos, the cast can be seen bundled in warm coats while filming outdoor scenes even in September.
Europa shared a bts pic on her instagram with Rhiannon Fish, a week earlier of the movie premiere.
In addition to the artificial snow, locals noted seeing Christmas lights and decorations around the city as filming took place. They were surprised to see the Bryggen Wharf covered with the artificial snow and Christmas trees.
This is the first film this year to be filmed in Norway while Ireland is becoming a popular filming destination for producers. Some of the recent Hallmark productions that were shot in Ireland includes A Merry Scottish Christmas and Christmas in Notting Hill.
Who’s in the cast of My Norwegian Holiday?
Rhiannon Fish stars as JJ
Fish is a Canadian actress who is best known for her roles in the CW series “The 100.” In the film, she is an American woman named JJ, who travels to Norway to find her roots. JJ is a warm and compassionate woman who is determined to find out more about her family history.
David Elsendoorn plays Erik Jensen
Elsendoorn is a Dutch actor who has appeared in a number of Dutch and international films and television series. He become popular after starring in and Apple TV’s incredibly popular sports series Ted Lasso. In My Norwegian Holiday, David stars as a Norwegian man who helps JJ uncover her family’s secrets. Erik is a kind and helpful man who is also attracted to JJ.
Other cast members of the movie includes:
- Conor Mullen as Anders
- Ian Lloyd Anderson as Marc
- Francesca Europa as Mia
- Paul Tylak as Bill Chisholm
- Karen Connell as Nora Strom
- Peter Vollebregt as Johan Strom
- Deirdre Monaghan as Astrid Strom
- Magnús Blöndal Jóhannsson as Frederik
Where to watch My Norwegian Holiday?
My Norwegian Holiday is set to premiere on Dec 1, 2023 at 8/7c only on Hallmark Channel. The movie will air again on:
- Dec 2 at 10/9c
- Dec 5 at 6/5c
- Dec 10 at 12/11c
- Dec 18 at 8/7c
- Dec 26 at 8a/7c
- Jan 1 at 4a/3c
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Rhiannon Fish isn’t in Ted Lasso. David Elsendoorn is.
What is the name of the extra that was in town carving. Fish asked her about the carvings.