The trend of traveling to beautiful locations in movies and TV shows has grown in popularity in recent years. While the desire to replicate on-screen romance, adventure and escapism is not new, the number of people who are inspired by these films and shows has increased. “Set-jetting”—the act of traveling to locations seen on screens—has become as common a reason for travel as any other. While our obsession with on-location TV shows Thailand is alive and kicking. The White LotusBath, with its romantic cobblestone streets Bridgerton The Gothic backdrop of Eastern Europe WednesdayThe latest buzzy movies are causing our travel radars to tingle.
Venice Film Festival—the world’s oldest film festival—has long been hailed as the ultimate way to launch new movies into the awards season dialogue. Yorgos Langthimos premiered his two latest films at the Festival. The Favourite In 2018, followed by Poor Things Both of these films won multiple Academy Awards in 2023. His latest feature film, Bugonia, will be premiering at the 2025 Venice International Film Festival—and already, the Oscar buzz is rife.
Kathryn Bigelow, a much-anticipated release, debuts with him. A House of Dynamite—the Oscar-winning director’s first feature in eight years—as well as Guillermo del Toro with Frankenstein Benny Safdie and Jacob Elordi star in this Benny Safdie film. The Smashing Machine Noah Baumbach’s Jay Kelly (with George Clooney, Adam Sandler and others).
Location is a common theme in many of these debuts, along with impressive casts and award winning directors. We’ve listed the films that will inspire you to travel in the future.
After the Hunt (dir. Luca Guadagnino): Cambridge, United Kingdom
Italian director Luca Guadagnino is known for his portrayal of drama, love and lust. Moving on from 2024’s roaring success Challengers You can also find out more about the following: Queer, Guadagnino is now focusing on a psychological thriller. After the Hunt starring Julia Roberts, Ayo Edebiri, Andrew Garfield, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Chloë Sevigny, is set against the academic setting of an Ivy League university. The film revolves around an accusation made by a student against a professor (Garfield), and leaves Julia Roberts with the fallout. Filming was largely done at Cambridge university—according to local news outlet Cambridge IndependentThe cast has been spotted at Selwyn College and Westminster College as well as The Pitt Building, located in nearby Trumpington Street. This isn’t the first time Cambridge has been used as a filming location—recently, 2025’s Apple TV thriller Prime Target It was filmed at the university and previous Oscar winner The Theory of Everything It was also located there.