If you’re excited about the upcoming action-thriller The Dead of Winter (2025), you’re not alone. This gripping film, set in the snowy wilderness of northern Minnesota, has already created buzz after its premiere at the Locarno Film Festival. At NetFilming, we’re diving into the details of where this intense movie was filmed, giving you a clear and engaging look at its production locations.
Directed by Brian Kirk, known for 21 Bridges, the film stars Emma Thompson, Judy Greer, Marc Menchaca, Laurel Marsden, and Brían F. O’Byrne. Let’s explore the real-world places that brought this snowy story to the big screen.
A Quick Look at The Dead of Winter
The Dead of Winter follows a widowed fisherwoman (Emma Thompson) who stumbles upon a teenage girl’s kidnapping in the remote, snow-covered Minnesota wilderness. With no phone service and being hours away from help, the widowed fisherwoman becomes the teenage girl’s only chance at survival. The film premiered on August 8, 2025, at Locarno’s Piazza Grande and is set for a U.S. theatrical release on September 26, 2025, through Vertical. To capture the harsh winter setting, the production team chose some unique locations outside Minnesota. Here’s where they filmed.
Where was The Dead of Winter filmed?
The movie was shot in two main regions: Koli, North Karelia, Finland, and North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, with specific work in Cologne and Bonn. These spots were carefully picked to match the story’s snowy, isolated vibe, even though the plot is set in Minnesota.
Koli, North Karelia, Finland
The snowy outside scenes in The Dead of Winter were shot in Koli, a beautiful part of eastern Finland. Because of its snowy forests and dramatic hilltops, this place stood in for rural Minnesota. Filming started here on February 26, 2024, with help from Finnish crews to make the winter scenes come to life. Emma Thompson herself praised the crew’s work, saying that Koli’s stunning scenery was just right for the story. The film looked real and cold because of the thick spruce forests and views of Lake Pielinen in the area.
Why Finland instead of Minnesota? – Despite scouting Minnesota, director Brian Kirk chose Finland due to its consistent snowfall and cultural similarities, as Finns and Germans had settled in both regions. Plus, Finland’s film infrastructure and co-production benefits made it a smart choice.
Fun fact: Koli has been a popular place for filmmakers. The Finnish war epic The Unknown Soldier (2017) also used Koli’s rough terrain for its intense battle scenes, showing how flexible the area is for telling dramatic stories.
Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany (MMC Studios)
Most of the movie was filmed in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. MMC Studios in Cologne took care of most of the controlled and interior scenes. These studios were perfect for filming the movie’s intense snowstorm scenes because they provided a high-tech setting for the most important parts of the thriller. This area had almost half of the shooting days, which shows how important Cologne was to the production.
Trivia: MMC Studios has worked on big projects like The Bourne Supremacy (2004), where its soundstages were used for action scenes with a lot at stake. The Dead of Winter found a suitable fit in this well-known filming location.
Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Filming also took place in Bonn, another city in North Rhine-Westphalia. This arrangement complemented the studio work in Cologne by providing filmmakers with real-world locations for additional scenes. The crew could easily get from Bonn to Cologne thanks to the area’s good infrastructure, which made for a smooth shoot.
Fun fact: Bonn has been in films like The Baader Meinhof Complex (2008), a historical thriller that used the city’s streets to recreate Germany in the 1970s. The Dead of Winter’s production was better because it had a long history as a filming location.
The Dead of Winter Behind The Scenes
I always find it fascinating to learn what happens off-camera in movies like The Dead of Winter. The production faced real challenges with extreme weather in Finland, where snow depths reached four to eight feet. The team had a dedicated snow crew to compress paths for movement while keeping the untouched look for shots. They mostly used natural light for daytime scenes, which added to the film’s raw feel. Continuity was tough because snow melted and refroze daily, especially around freezing points.
Director Brian Kirk scouted Minnesota thoroughly and created a photo record of the character’s journey. He noted cultural ties, like how both Minnesota and Finland were settled by similar groups, making the locations feel authentic. Test audiences in New York, including locals from Minnesota, couldn’t tell it wasn’t filmed there.
According to variety.com, Emma Thompson, who plays the lead, shared her thoughts on the role. She said, “This woman is a real female heroine because she doesn’t say: ‘You should be afraid because I have certain skills.’ I mean, she can sew, she’s been formed by weather and lived in close proximity with nature. She knows that she can mess people up by freezing their stuff.”
On the action scenes at age 66, she added, “There are no words. Why start this whole action stuff when you are 66 years old?! That’s just stupid.”
She also praised the Finnish crew in an open letter, saying, “I would encourage colleagues in my industry with all my heart to locate productions here – if you need dramatic landscape, it is here, if you need brave-hearted, highly sensitive and indomitable crew people, they are here, if you need comfort and a homely life, it is here.”
Brian Kirk talked about casting Thompson: “When the script was sent to me, the co-producers mentioned Emma Thompson as someone to consider. We were lucky she said yes. The truth is, there aren’t many actors who could play a role like this. Emma is, of course, an Academy Award-winning actress, but I don’t think audiences have seen her in a performance quite like this before.”
He explained the location choice, saying, “Our German co-producers suggested that we consider Finland, partly to make a European co-production financially viable. It turned out to be an inspired suggestion. When we scouted Finland, we found the landscape strikingly similar to Minnesota.” These insights show how the team turned challenges into strengths for this thriller.
The Dead of Winter Official Trailer
As you wait for the September 26, 2025, release, keep these locations in mind—they’re the unsung heroes behind the film’s chilling atmosphere. Stay tuned for more movie location insights right here!
FAQs
Q1. Where was The Dead of Winter (2025) filmed?
The movie was filmed in Koli, North Karelia (Finland), and across North Rhine–Westphalia, Germany, with major work at MMC Studios in Cologne and Bonn.
Q2. Why wasn’t the film shot in Minnesota, where the story is set?
Minnesota didn’t have reliable snow while they were filming, so they chose Finland for real winter scenes and Germany for studio and interior scenes.
Q3. When did filming for The Dead of Winter take place?
Production started on February 26, 2024, in Koli, Finland, and continued through spring 2024 in Germany, wrapping by June 2024.
Q4. Who stars in The Dead of Winter?
The cast includes Emma Thompson, Judy Greer, Marc Menchaca, Laurel Marsden and Brían F. O’Byrne.
Q5. When will The Dead of Winter be released in the U.S.?
The film premiered at the Locarno Film Festival on August 8, 2025, and is set for a U.S. theatrical release on September 26, 2025, via Vertical.
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 in Finland & Germany, plus behind-the-scenes facts, trivia, and production details with Emma Thompson.){kind=link}