5 Movie Getaways that Will Make You Pack Your Bags Right Now
For Memorial Day, we map out some great spots for your summer vacation.
Each May, Memorial Day kicks off a season of summer vacations—hanging out by the pool, visiting the beach, or just sightseeing in a historic city. For short cinematic adventures, Focus Features has three great films coming out this summer, including The Book of Henry, The Beguiled, and Atomic Blonde. For a longer trip, why not let one of these films from our library inspire you? As part of Focus Features' 15th anniversary celebration, we visit five getaways sure to make your summer filled with big screen-worthy memories.
See The Book of Henry this summer.
Take a cool plunge in Provence with Swimming Pool.
In Francois Ozon’s tantalizing thriller Swimming Pool, mystery writer Sarah Morton (Charlotte Rampling) rediscovers her love of adventure when she accepts her publisher’s offer to stay at his Provençal summer home. Once there, she learns that she’s sharing the charming retreat with her publisher’s mischievous daughter, Julie (Ludivine Sagnier). Set in the idyllic French area of Luberon, the film’s main house and its swimming pool are set on the estate “Le Paty.” To learn more about Luberon––and maybe find a house with a swimming pool––visit TheLuberon.com.
Charlotte Rampling and Ludivine Sagnier in Swimming Pool.
Discover Belgium beer and historic landmarks with In Bruges.
In Martin McDonagh’s hilarious In Bruges, two hit men, Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell, are sent to Belgium’s famed medieval city to await further instructions from their handler. While there, the two boat down the old canal, take in Hieronymus Bosch’s famed “The Last Judgment” at the Groeninge Museum, and quaff Belgian beers at Bistro Zwart Huis. While the hysterical insults the two toss at each other make for brilliant comedy, the film’s extraordinary backdrop inspires tourism. Film critic Roger Ebert noted an “an urgent desire to visit Bruges” after seeing the film. You may feel the same way. Plan your own escape at Visit Bruges.
Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell sightsee in In Bruges.
Enjoy One Day at a spectacular French beachside town.
Adapted from David Nichol’s international bestseller, Lone Scherfig’s One Day follows the lives of Emma (Anne Hathaway) and Dexter (Jim Sturgess) on July 15 each year for nearly twenty years. One of those days involves a romantic getaway to Dinard, a beachside community off the coast of Brittany. In an infinity pool with a midnight-blue evening sky canopied above them, the two lovers open up in this romantic locale. Often called the Cannes of the North, this beach town has attracted artists from Picasso to Debussy. Learn more about this part of Brittany at the area's official site.
See One Day's remarkable world in its trailer.
Check into a five-star Arizona desert retreat in Away We Go
With a baby on the way, Verona (Maya Rudolph) and Burt (John Krasinski) set off to find the perfect place to call home in Sam Mendes’ Away We Go. Starting off in Colorado, the two zigzag across North America, hitting Arizona, Wisconsin, Quebec, and Florida. Of all the fabulous places they visit, the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa, where Verona’s sister Grace (Carmen Ejogo) works, is one of the most unforgettable. Originally the film was only going to shoot in Phoenix, but as the location manager explained, “the director really loves the Starr Pass” and so it became a essential stop for Verona and Burt.
Official trailer for Away We Go with John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph.
Explore the enchanted coast of Rhode Island in Moonrise Kingdom
New Penzance, the island on which Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom transpires, is fictional. But the locations that Suzy (Kara Hayward) and Sam (Jared Gilman) run away to are real places in Rhode Island. The film’s devoted fans have mapped out where to find the places portrayed in the film. The secluded cove where the two young lovers set up camp can found via a short hike in Fort Wetherill State Park at the southern tip of Conanicut Island.
Get Moonrise Kingdom now on iTunes or at Amazon.
Sam and Suzy find a summer of love in Moonrise Kingdom.
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