Central Otago

Filmmakers love Central Otago.

Central Otago is an inspiring and timeless land of extremes. From Westerns to post-apocalyptic worlds, its landscape is versatile. Moonscapes, powerful rivers, rolling grasslands, mountainous backdrops and horticulture/viticulture have all helped Central Otago become a sought after location.

It featured prominently in productions including The Light Between Oceans, Good for Nothing, In My Father's Den, 50 Ways of Saying Fabulous and Lord of the Rings.

Central Otago is just a 45-minute drive from the crew base in Queenstown.

Message from the Mayor

Central Otago offers unique natural locations and historic townships to the film industry, but we have not rested on those gifts.  The Central Otago District Council has had an official Film Friendly Policy since 2011; a policy designed to ensure that the industry will find the official face of Central as welcoming as its natural face Tim Cadogan

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My favorite parts about “The Battle of Five Armies” were the moments where you could clearly see that we were looking at New Zealand. That it wasn’t done in post, it wasn’t CGI, it was the beautiful, incredible creation of Mother Nature in all of her splendor. - Evangeline Lilly, on filming THE HOBBIT trilogy

Film Otago Southland is funded and endorsed by

Central Otago District Council
Dunedin
Invercargill City Council
Queenstown Lates District Council
Southern Institute of Technology
Venture Southland
Waitaki District Council

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