Netflix’s Young Wallender Turns To Vilnius
Young Wallander, a new Netflix original series based on Henning Mankell’s best-selling novels about detective Kurt Wallander, came to life in, among other locations, Šeškinė—a residential neighborhood turned into the Swedish city of Malmö. Seskine is in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius.

According to the producers, Vilnius has already built a strong reputation as a film-friendly city valued for its huge cinematic potential, local crews and a diversity of settings and landscapes. Offering compelling locations, from moody dark alleys and disused prisons to shining trendy restaurants, it provides the wide-ranging look and feel the creators were after.

The new show joins HBO and Sky’s Chernobyl (2019) as another significant title choosing Vilnius as its backdrop. For Chernobyl, it was Šeškinė’s neighbor Fabijoniškės, also a Soviet-built suburban neighborhood. 

Phoenix, Oregon Producers To Help Fire-Ravaged Town
On the evening of Tuesday, September 8, a fast moving wildfire swept through Phoenix, Oregon, burning hundreds of homes and businesses, leaving almost the entire town flattened.

This served as a monumental blow to the filmmaking team behind the 2020 theatrically released comedy Phoenix, Oregon. Not only is the film named after the town, but several crew and family members of the producers lost homes.

“It happened fast,” recalled producer Luis Rodriguez. “I rushed to my mom’s house to help her evacuate, confused and unaware that we were leaving behind a home she’d never see again. Thousands were completely blindsided this way, losing it all from one moment to the next. It’s extremely heartbreaking to see the devastation left behind.”

The filmmaking team is raising funds to rebuild Phoenix, Oregon and the surrounding community. Funds from watching the film online (https://phoenixoregonmovie.com) will be used to help at risk and vulnerable families, many of which are in the Latino community. 

Phoenix, Oregon writer/director Gary Lundgren penned the bittersweet comedy film as a love letter to the Latino community and family culture, with the story being influenced by his friendship with Rodriguez. “I wanted to reflect the warmth and unconditional acceptance with which Luis’s family has welcomed and supported me over the years,” said Lundgren. “It is heartbreaking to see the devastation our neighbors are experiencing from these fires.”

The Phoenix, Oregon movie team will be focused over the coming months on helping these families find housing, establish stability, and get their kids back in school and connected online (for distance learning). A Phoenix, Oregon Movie/United Way Fire Relief Fund has also been set up to take donations at https://phoenixoregonmovie.com/firefund

CFC Deputy Director Wraps 7-Year Tenure   
After seven and-a-half years as the California Film Commission’s (CFC) deputy director, Eve Honthaner is moving on to pursue new opportunities. Honthaner has worked with local jurisdictions across California to promote and implement film-friendly policies. She has also worked closely with state partners (CHP, CalFire, Caltrans, State Parks) and community partners (NewFilmmakers Los Angeles), the Film Liaisons in California Statewide and all of California’s 58 regional film offices. She was instrumental in facilitating transport of a 200 foot-long, 21-ton airline fuselage via L.A. freeways for the movie Sully, and facilitated the use of courthouses and other often difficult-to-procure public locations. She has also worked closely with the FAA to bring the production industry up-to-speed on drone-related filming guidelines.