Rarely comes a film that professes love to a city the way La La Land does! An ode to Los Angeles, this romantic musical will make you fall for the city. The Oscars 2017 frontrunner (with a whopping 14 nominations) was shot at more than 40 locations in LA, including Griffith Observatory, Century Freeway, Grand Central Market, Smoke House restaurant, Rialto Theatre, Warner Bros Studios, Angels Flight Railway, Hermosa Pier and Lighthouse Cafe. Fancy a trip to the City of Angels? You’ll certainly want to visit the iconic spot where Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling danced at twilight to the tunes of ‘A Lovely Night’. Head for Cathy’s Corner on Mount Hollywood Drive, which overlooks the San Fernando Valley.

Downtown Los Angeles

LION

The incredible real-life story of an Indian boy in search for his roots, comes alive in Lion. Nominated for six Academy Awards, the film was shot in Kolkata (India), Melbourne and Tasmania (Australia). Hobart, Tasmania’s main city, features prominently in Lion. Remember the scene where Dev Patel and Rooney Mara jog up a mountain and look over Hobart from the summit? That’s Mount Wellington – a popular spot among locals and tourists alike. The film beautifully captures the rugged splendour of Tasmania through picturesque sights such as Marion Bay, Cape Hauy, Bruny Island Neck and Recherche Bay. Planning a holiday in Tasmania? The Lion team was blown away by its splendour; you will be too!

Victoria Memorial, Kolkata

MANCHESTER BY THE SEA

The Oscars 2017 celebrates films where the setting has become a character in itself, and Manchester by the Sea justifies that superbly. The Casey Affleck and Michelle Williams starrer was filmed entirely on location in Cape Ann, an Atlantic cape about 48km north of Boston. To match the movie’s gloomy mood, the shoot took place during winter in Cape Ann’s towns, including the namesake Manchester-by-the-Sea, Gloucester, Essex, Rockport and Beverly. So, next time you’re holidaying in New England, go beyond Boston and explore the quiet fishing neighbourhoods along Massachusetts’s North Shore. Visit Bakers Island, offshore of Manchester, to see the lighthouse that features in the film or take a stroll along Beverly’s Lothrop Street a la Casey Affleck.

Boston, Massachusetts

New Mexico

MOONLIGHT

Miami isn’t just about sun-kissed beaches and colourful nightlife. The indie drama Moonlight, boasting six Oscar nominations, highlights a different facet of the city. A coming-of-age tale of an African-American man, the film was shot in and around the tough neighbourhood of Liberty Square. Interestingly, the square is only 15km away from the popular South Beach that also features in the film. The scene where the protagonist learns to swim was shot on Virginia Key beach, while Miramar High School provided the perfect setting for the remarkable classroom scene. The reunion scene in the climax was filmed in a real restaurant, Jimmy’s Eastside Diner, where you can grab breakfast or lunch on your next holiday to Miami.

FENCES

A poignant tale about an African-American family in Pittsburgh in the 1950s, Denzel Washington’s directorial venture recreates as authentic a setting as possible. Nominated for four Oscars, Fences is shot in Pittsburgh – the hometown of playwright August Wilson, on whose play the film is based. A major part of the shoot happened in the Hills District and the scenes were filmed in the same neighbourhood for which they were written in the play. The protagonist’s home is actually a private residence at 809 Anaheim Street. Other filming locations in the neighbourhood include West End, Oakland, Allegheny County Courthouse and Minersville Cemetery. So, if you’re planning a Fences-inspired Pittsburgh itinerary, don’t forget to visit Wilson’s childhood home in the Hills District.