If you were thinking that you're beginning to recognize more and more of the scenery in your favourite shows, you just might be right. While Nova Scotia has a long film history on both small and big screens, the province is becoming a breakout star for some of the biggest hits of the summer of 2025. From 'The Institute' to 'Sullivan's Crossing' and 'We Were Liars' to 'Washington Black'; Nova Scotia is captivating audiences and attracting visitors eager to explore the real-life locations featured on screen.

(In fact, our NovaScotia.com website hosts a page to help visitors find filming locations across the province. https://novascotia.com/nova-scotia-film-locations/ )

Recent productions filmed in Nova Scotia
 

"The Institute" - A Stephen King adaption on MGM+  airing July 2025
Filmed in August through December 2024 in various locations across Nova Scotia, including Dartmouth and Windsor. 

https://hollywoodnorthbuzz.com/2025/07/the-institute-with-mary-louise-parker-joe-freeman-ben-barnes-debuts-filmed-in-nova-scotia.html

"We Were Liars" - An adaption of E. Lockhart's best-selling novel on Prime Video airing June 2025
The production filmed extensively in Nova Scotia and included locations at Peggy's Cove, Dartmouth, Chester and Lunenburg. 

https://travelnoire.com/we-were-liars-filming-locations
https://www.ctvnews.ca/atlantic/the-scene/article/love-lies-and-lunenburg-nova-scotia-shines-in-new-tv-series/

"Washington Black" - An adaption of Esi Edugyan's acclaimed historical novel on Disney+ airing July 2025
Filmed in Halifax, Lunenburg and the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site in Cape Breton Island. 

https://www.ctvnews.ca/atlantic/the-scene/article/new-series-washington-black-premieres-with-nova-scotia-as-a-backdrop/
https://www.cbc.ca/arts/in-the-tv-adaptation-of-this-canadian-novel-sterling-k-brown-wanted-to-tell-a-different-story-about-freedom-1.7591332

"Sullivan's Crossing" - A small-town drama based on Robyn Carr's novels on CTV and Crave in Canada, and on Netflix in the U.S. now airing Season 3 May 2025
The show has filmed in Beaver Bank, Eastern Passage, Peggy's Cove and Lunenburg and other various locations around Nova Scotia. 

https://people.com/where-was-sullivans-crossing-filmed-11773428
https://decider.com/2023/10/05/where-is-sullivans-crossing-filmed-and-where-is-nova-scotia/
Here's a video sharing the cast's recommendations for visiting too https://www.facebook.com/reel/1056859249106491
 

The opportunity for film tourism in Nova Scotia

While having movie stars in our midst is nothing new here in Nova Scotia, hearing from them about the fun hanging out with of our film crews, the hospitality of our people and the beauty of our surroundings, never gets old.

“We were filming in Halifax, Nova Scotia, but also in a beautiful place called Lunenburg that really looks a lot like Martha’s Vineyard,” said Emily Alyn Lind, who plays lead character Cadence Sinclair Eastman. “It was just so hauntingly beautiful. I think our location was a character itself in this show.”
- actor Emily Alyn Lind from "We Were Liars" speaking to CTV

“Walking by the water in Halifax is one of my favourite things to do,” said Brown. “I probably walked five miles a day because it’s just so picturesque and beautiful. And the people - honest to goodness - could not have been more kind. There’s a certain freedom that I felt in that space that I don’t always feel in the States. It was a joy to be up there.”
- actor Sterling K. Brown from "Washington Black" speaking to CTV

“Honestly every time I go to work, and I’m on set, it’s a breath of fresh air because we’re out in the middle of nowhere. We’re out on the water, we’re on the lake [in] nature, and you’re just one with the world. It’s so peaceful,” Murray said in a phone interview with Decider. “In between takes when we’re setting up you can just go out and breathe fresh air. Or during lunch breaks the crew is swimming in the lake. It really does feel so peaceful, and this place reminds me very much of another show that I was on. It’s very reminiscent. And I think people are gonna want to come and visit this place. I think Sullivan’s Crossing is a character in this story, so very much that I think people are gonna want to come check it out. And I highly recommend that they do because Halifax, Nova Scotia is a gem. I love it.”
- actor Chad Michael Murray from "Sullivan's Crossing" speaking to Decider

With fantastic endorsements like these from cast members and the incredible on-screen scenery in these popular shows, film productions are helping raise awareness of Nova Scotia and benefiting the province’s tourism sector. Check out this social media post sharing a couple who visited after seeing "We Were Liars".
 

By embracing this 'Big Moment', Nova Scotia can further establish itself as a premiere destination for filmmakers seeking locations and travellers seeking authentic 'fan' experiences that won't disappoint.