Located just a short 30-minute drive from the capital, the town’s Alkotmány Street underwent a total metamorphosis, with its usual boutiques and cafes replaced by a French pharmacy, a vintage pastry shop, and an old-fashioned market.

The inclusion of French signage and tricolor flags allowed the picturesque Hungarian town to double seamlessly for a Nazi-occupied French village.

The production brought a unique flair to the area as actors dressed as period-accurate officers and nuns mingled with the local crowds.

The story, based on the bestselling novel, follows Vianne Mauriac (Dakota Fanning) and her younger sister Isabelle (played by her real-life sister, Elle Fanning) as they struggle to survive during the occupation. While the project faced extensive delays due to the pandemic, it is now back on track for a scheduled 2027 release.

During a break between scenes, Dakota Fanning shared her enthusiasm for being back in the region. This is a return visit for the actress, who previously spent time here in 2017 while filming the period thriller The Alienist.

Her presence, along with a large crew and a host of Hungarian extras — some of whom have secured speaking roles — has created a buzz among the local community.

Many of the background actors noted that while they are often separated from the Hollywood leads during production, the atmosphere on set has been remarkably pleasant and professional.

One local witness to the transformation was Ilona Tóth, the owner of the well-known Blue Land Folklore shop. Her storefront was disguised as a French pastry shop for the duration of the shoot.

Speaking on the experience, she noted that Szentendre is no stranger to the silver screen, having previously hosted stars like Antonio Banderas. She remarked that filmmakers are consistently drawn to this particular street and praised the production crew for their friendliness and efforts to minimize disruption.

Despite the scale of the WWII sets, the daily rhythm of life for tourists and residents in Szentendre has continued largely as normal, proving once again why the town remains a premier destination for both travelers and film scouts alike.

Photo: Northfoto

Source: MTI – Hungary’s national news agency since 1881. While MTI articles are usually factual, some may contain political bias, and readers should be aware that such content does not reflect the position of XpatLoop, which is neutral and independent.

Since the goal of XpatLoop is to keep readers well briefed, right across the spectrum of opinions, MTI items are shared to ensure readers are aware of all narratives within the local media.

XpatLoop believes in empowering readers to form their own views through complete and comprehensive coverage. To facilitate this XpatLoop has a balanced range of news partners, as you can see when you surf around XpatLoop.com

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