Six Cities Through the Eyes of the Film Pros Who Live There
From the dramatic light in Iceland to the iconic landmarks of New York, discover how six film professionals find cinematic inspiration in their hometowns.
Photographs by Sophie Green
From Casablanca to Tokyo, the world cinema scene is thriving. These six film professionals, who are also Airbnb hosts, share stories of how they got their start in film and how the place they call home continues to inspire their art.
The Host: Ása Helga Hjörleifsdóttir
Director and screenwriter, Reykjavik, Iceland
She’s one of the brightest stars to emerge from the growing Icelandic film community, and the 34-year-old artist’s 2017 debut feature film, The Swan (screening on Amazon Video Direct in February), has garnered wide acclaim, including nominations at the Edda Awards (Iceland’s equivalent of the Academy Awards).
What made me fall in love with movies…
I had enrolled in a film class at the University of Manitoba, and we watched Persona by Ingmar Bergman, Mulholland Drive by David Lynch, and The Mirror by Andrei Tarkovsky. It was this eye-opening experience of, Wow! Movies can be all of this? They were like poetry! They made more emotional than logical sense, and those are the kind of movies I’m interested in making. I love stories that explore the gray areas of human nature and examine how our feelings change as we go through life.
What makes filmmaking in Iceland unique…
Cinema uses color, light, and landscapes to tell stories — all things we have in abundance in Iceland. There’s an emotional quality to the different kinds of light here. Sometimes the way it hits the floor can make you feel melancholy. Our countryside is extremely dramatic: We have ocean and mountains and vast expanses that can have a rich, sometimes barren quality. I love how human nature can be reflected in nature itself. In The Swan, the characters have a hard time expressing their feelings, which is typically Icelandic, but I can cut to a river flowing angrily or horses running to capture their emotions.
How the Icelandic film industry is changing…
When I was a kid, there were few notable films aside from one, Children of Nature, that was nominated for a best foreign language Oscar in 1991. It’s exciting to be part of a new generation of filmmakers from my country, traveling around the world on the film festival scene and helping Icelandic cinema become more known.
When I need to get inspired…
I take a walk by the ocean. From my place, it’s 10 minutes away. The ocean in Iceland somehow feels different from other places — louder, closer, more intimate. It clears my thoughts. There’s also a 180-year-old cemetery across the street from my house, Hólavallagarður, that’s great for walks. It’s gorgeous, especially the oldest part.
My favorite underrated places…
I love the festive, old-world atmosphere at Snaps Bistro Bar. Being there makes you feel like you’re in a good movie. And every neighborhood has a local swimming pool with tubs that are heated by natural hot springs, like Vesturbæjarlaug. It’s a very Icelandic thing to do, and I’d recommend that over visiting the touristy hot springs.
The Superhost: Ahmed Boulane
Filmmaker, Casablanca, Morocco
Considered one of the most talented — and provocative — directors in his country, Ahmed, 62, based his 2016 movie, La Isla, on a military conflict between Spain and Morocco, and his film The Satanic Angels topped the domestic box office in 2007.
What made me fall in love with movies…
When I was 5, my father began taking me to the cinema. It was everything for me. I loved going to see films more than I loved going to school, and I became truant because of it! By the time I was 10, I was taking on small jobs just to pay for tickets.
How I broke into the biz…
As a kid, my favorite movies were Italian films — especially Sergio Leone’s Westerns, which have had a lasting influence on me. In the 1970s, I began working as an actor and then moved to Italy to be around the filmmakers there — it wasn’t like today, where young people go off to film school. After two years, I became an assistant director; eventually I moved to Casablanca and started producing and directing my own films.
Filmmaking in Morocco…
My films are inspired by true events — and because I attack controversial subjects like politics, religion, and sexuality, I’ve encountered censorship with most of them. Morocco has been under an Islamic government since 2011, which has made it more difficult to make films and get funding. But I’m happy being an artist. I’m still an actor, as well. I recently did a part for an upcoming Netflix series called The Spy, with Sacha Baron Cohen — it was very funny to film with him!
The places in Casablanca every film buff should visit…
The Quartier Habous is beautiful — it’s like a movie set. It was created in the 1930s by a French architect in the style of an old Arab town, and it looks the way that many foreigners think Casablanca should look. And my apartment. It’s furnished with stuff from my films — posters, extra props, old projectors, and 16 mm cameras. Young people would call it “vintage.” I realized recently, Oh, I’m actually vintage.
Why I host…
It’s for the chance to share moments with people from the other side of the world. Filmmakers have a need to connect. Plus, it’s in my nature as a Moroccan. Once you’re in our homes, we feel responsible for you. An American family came to stay, and I helped them organize an airport transfer early in the morning because I knew it would be cheaper than a taxi. It might come across like a hustle to people from other places, but it’s Moroccan hospitality.
The Host: Nikolai Nikolaeff
Actor, Melbourne, Australia
In 2018, Nikolai, 37, appeared in the action flick Mile 22, starring Mark Wahlberg. (His next costar on deck: Willem Dafoe.) He recently wrapped the TV series We Were Tomorrow and has also acted in a few others, including Six, Daredevil, and The OA. When not on location, he’s usually working in Los Angeles, but Melbourne is still home.
What made me fall in love with movies…
My mum’s storytelling was next level — she would adopt all these voices and just get immersed in it. When I was around 12, I started getting into films, and I realized, These actors are like professional versions of my mum!
How I broke into the biz…
I got my first gig at 16, when I was cast in an Australian kids’ show called Crash Zone. I still have amazing memories. After that I landed The Pacific, a miniseries produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks that was filmed entirely in Australia. I never got to meet them, but I’m still hoping to work with both of them in the future.
Melbourne vs. Hollywood…
Melbournians are such a welcoming, happy-go-lucky, cheeky people. They’ll be the first to say, “Let’s go have a coffee or a beer,” and that’s what I love about them. L.A. is very different — it’s a city that makes you work for it. I have a great group of friends there now, but it took me a couple of years. It can be overwhelming.
Filmmaking in Melbourne is…
Under the radar. Even though a number of films have been made here, like Animal Kingdom and On the Beach, we’re not into showcasing our city or showing off the skyline, things like that. Even though it has been named the most livable international city, like, seven years in a row, the postcard shots of it don’t happen that often. That’s the quintessential Australian sensibility: tall-poppy syndrome. In general, we’re modest, and we don’t like people getting a big head about their wins. Hugh Jackman is the epitome of that.
My favorite underrated places…
Brunswick Street in Fitzroy is a melting pot of culture and all things creative — that’s where you can find people experimenting and pushing the artistic envelope. But Country Victoria, which is one to two hours from the city, is Melbourne’s best-kept secret. It has the most amazing scenery.
Why I host…
When I first bought my apartment, it had been abandoned for 40 years — the roof was caved in! I worked hard to renovate it and make it beautiful. There’s a window that overlooks all of Melbourne; it’s so pretty that I’ve considered putting a frame around it. It gives me a warm feeling to picture the people who stay there looking out over the horizon and thinking about how to chase their dreams, the same way I did.
The Host: Kate Beall
Location scout and manager, Brooklyn, New York
Before the cameras start rolling, this industry vet, 56, is pounding the pavement in search of the just-right location for any given shoot. Kate has scouted for dozens of film and TV projects — including Spider-Man and Definitely, Maybe — on her home turf and beyond.
How I broke into the biz…
In the ’90s, I was a photojournalist in Washington, D.C., and since I knew the town like the back of my hand, someone recommended me to scout for The Pelican Brief. I fell in love with the “daily mission” aspect of it: “Your mission today is to find the perfect cabin next to the perfect body of water.” I’d jump in the car with a map and a compass — back then, there was no Google! Scouting is detective work, it’s being a fixer, it’s going on a scavenger hunt. Over time, I began to feel like a big fish in D.C., so New York seemed like the natural next step. In 1999, I made the move.
What makes New York City a filmmaking capital…
I’d have to say its iconic-ness. There are so many recognizable spots that tug at the heartstrings: the Empire State Building, Times Square, Rockefeller Center. Filmmakers tend to flock around the bridges: The views of them or the views from them. One of my favorite areas has always been the Lower East Side, close to Chinatown. There’s a Greek joint that I love called Kiki’s. Being in that neighborhood makes me feel like I’m in a time warp — it’s New York City in the mid-’90s, and it’s still holding on to its authenticity.
The key to being a successful scout…
The scouting part of my brain is always on. I can be walking down the street and see a cute dive bar or diner, pop in, and snap some pics. It’s really gratifying when an entire project comes to fruition and I get to see it appear on the screen in just the way I envisioned it.
What I love about Brooklyn…
Things have changed so much since I first moved here — it’s like the area was injected with steroids. I’m at the hub of the action, right under the Manhattan Bridge arches with that view up Pearl Street. For a lot of the jobs I get, the clients put in their request and I just bring them to my front door. I love Vinegar Hill, which is this charming little pocket nearby that’s not completely overrun by crowds, even the Cafe Gitane that just opened there. But in DUMBO, where I live, the area right around Jay Street is where you can find the neighborhood still holding onto its sense of character and artistic vision.
The Experience Host: Chuck Johnson
Actor and stuntman, Tokyo, Japan
The American-born fight choreographer and trainer has appeared in over 20 movies and series in Japan’s action and martial arts film industry. As an Experience host, Chuck, 40, shows regular folks what it’s like to be an onscreen hero by teaching them staged fights.
Why I became a Tokyo transplant…
I had aspirations of competing in the 2004 Olympics for tae kwon do, so I decided to leave Michigan to continue my training in Korea. Although the Olympics didn’t quite work out, being in Asia changed my whole perspective — I wanted a broader world view, and I was curious to see what Japan was like. I’ve been living here 15 years now, but I still don’t consider myself a true Tokyo-ite. When you look different from 98 percent of the population, you’re never not a foreigner.
How I broke into the biz…
When I arrived in Tokyo, I worked security detail for visiting celebrities and politicians. I’m 6'2" and very muscular, so people kept suggesting I try modeling and acting. My first job was as an extra in Godzilla: Final Wars, a Japanese sci-fi film. There were a ton of action movies being made in Tokyo, and as one of the only foreign stunt guys in town, I started getting a lot of work. Seriously, if there was a part for an overweight white guy, they’d be like, “Just use Chuck!” I knew there was a demand, so I eventually began recruiting and training other performers — and that’s how I ended up building my own English-speaking stunt team, the Quiet Flame Stunt Team.
The place in Tokyo every film buff should visit…
Any time you see an epic Japanese intersection in a movie — The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Lost in Translation — chances are it was filmed at Shibuya Crossing. The energy in Tokyo is extreme: Everything is shiny and illuminated in neon, but beneath that, there’s a dark undercurrent. You’re in one of the most crowded cities in the world, and at the same time there’s an intense loneliness about it.
Where I go to unwind in Tokyo…
Futako Tamagawa is a newer area on the edge of Tokyo that’s been turned into this huge riverside park and shopping area, all covered in greenery. It’s very beautiful.
Why I host…
People love to see how stunts actually work. I teach guests the basics of a fight scene — the choreography, finding your camera angles, delivering dialogue — and then we film it. One move I teach is the “head snap,” a reaction technique that makes it appear as if you’ve taken a punch. The most fun I’ve had so far was with a group of Scandinavian IT guys who decided to do my experience as their corporate team-building activity. None of them had done martial arts before, but they got super involved — I could tell that they were all going to be sore the next day.
The Host: Suveera Ambade
Costume designer, Mumbai, India
With five feature films under her stylish belt, this 37-year-old lives and works in the heart of the booming Bollywood industry — more films are produced in India than anywhere else on the planet — where she brings her vibrant designs to Technicolor life.
What made me fall in love with movies…
As a child, I’d watch these beautiful Bollywood actresses onscreen, and then I would go home and pretend to be them. There was one heroine who wore a red high-waisted skirt, and I went and found one just like it. Eventually I realized that what I was gravitating toward was that impact fashion and film can have when they come together.
What makes Bollywood fashion special…
It’s the colors. Nearly every Bollywood movie features a festival or wedding, and they’re all about grandeur. My country is blessed with a lot of traditional handicrafts, and each state has its own styles, colors, and weaves. Up north in Kashmir, you’ll find wool-based embroideries. Down south, you have white cotton with gold borders. In the east, there are these crazy, colorful weaves that are done by hand. When our modern style meets old traditions, the result is unique.
What I love about filmmaking…
That moment when it all comes together and the director yells Action! is the most amazing part. Everybody who’s been working on the project is there, putting in 100 percent — even if you haven’t slept for hours or eaten since that morning. It all boils down to those few minutes of shooting, and it gets me every single time.
The place in Mumbai that every film buff should visit…
The biggest film production house in Mumbai, Yash Raj Films, is right near my apartment. Actors are everywhere, meetings are happening. You can just hang around and people-watch at cafés and pubs to get the whole vibe of the industry.
My favorite underrated places…
I wish all my guests would visit Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya museum, which has a lot of old historical paintings and sculptures, and also a costume department that showcases the textiles and costumes of India. The Jehangir Art Gallery houses works by a lot of budding local painters, so it’s an easy intro to the city’s art scene.
Why I host…
I travel a lot, and my first experience with Airbnb was a room I booked in Chicago. My host showed me around all the art and fashion places, and I fell in love with the city. It hit me then that Airbnb could help me find my kind of people, and I have. Recently a fashion designer from England stayed at my apartment. We talked about embroidery and fabrics, and I recommended several markets and contacts to her. We’ve kept in touch since, which is what usually happens — it’s like having friends all over the world!
Production by Kamalan, a cultural agency that curates immersive experiences in India.
About the author: Ingela Ratledge is a freelance writer and editor based in Brooklyn, New York. She covers a range of topics including entertainment, pop culture, celebrity, travel, food, and parenting. Her work has appeared in publications such as Cosmopolitan, Health, Ocean Drive, Parents, Real Simple, TV Guide, Us Weekly, and Woman’s Day. She’s determined to become more active on Twitter starting…now.
