Vladimir, Rachel Weisz’s new Netflix drama, looks like it’s filmed in America – but it’s not.
Sometimes filming locations are obvious. Prime Video’s Vanished was both set and shot in Marseille.
Other shows, like How to Get to Heaven from Belfast, double one place for another.
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Vladimir does both: it invents a fictional New York town and it was filmed in another country.
Where is Vladimir set?
Vladimir is set in upstate New York, far removed from the pace and noise of New York City. The town is small, quiet, and has a university where Weisz’s unnamed protagonist teaches.
There’s a bakery called Charlotte Haze, independent shops, and a local bar where she drinks with Vladimir. The setting feels specific — but the show never clearly names the town in dialogue. It remains intentionally anonymous.
Julia May Jonas’ original novel repeatedly references an “upstate town” and “small upstate college”, but doesn’t anchor the story to a real place like Albany or Ithaca. The series follows suit.
The closest it gets to naming the location comes in episode three, when a letter addressed to Cynthia (Jessica Henwick) flashes on screen with an address: 3B Pine St, Stillcrest, NY 12208.
Where is Stillcrest and is it a real place?
Stillcrest is not a real town.
Despite the New York postcode shown on the letter, there is no town, village, or city called Stillcrest in New York state — or anywhere else. The postcode 12208 corresponds to Albany, but the address itself is fictional.
That small detail confirms what the show subtly implies throughout: Vladimir takes place in a made-up American town, crafted to feel authentic without tying itself to a specific real-world location.
Vladimir filming locations: Is that a real university?
Although the university in Vladimir appears fictional – and is never formally named on screen – the campus itself is very real. Filming took place at the University of Toronto Scarborough campus in Canada.
Behind-the-scenes images shared during production revealed the fictional college’s Latin motto, “scientia in lumine,” which translates to “science (or knowledge) in the light”.
However, characters only ever refer to it as “the university,” maintaining the show’s deliberate ambiguity.
Where else was Vladimir filmed?
Despite being set in New York, Vladimir was filmed in Ontario, Canada. The end credits confirm production received film and television tax credit assistance from the Government of Ontario – a common reason American-set dramas are shot north of the border.
Several real Ontario locations appear in the series. The Charlotte Haze bakery is actually Kit’s Little Kitchen in Georgetown, Ontario, which temporarily changed its signage for filming and even confused local customers when they thought the café had closed.
Scenes were also shot at the former Brantford City Hall, a location that has appeared in multiple major productions over the years.
Read more: Vladimir author explains why Rachel Weisz’s name is kept a secret
Vladimir is available to stream on Netflix now.
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