Before We Die S2 filming locations: where in Bristol and Europe was Channel 4 crime drama filmed?

The original Swedish language series, Innan vi dör, which Before We Die is based on, was filmed in Stockholm, whilst the English remake was set and filmed in Bristol.

The second season continues to follow detective inspector Hannah Laing (Lesley Sharp) as she works to protect her estranged son from a crime family that he became embroiled with. 

Production returned to Bristol last year to film the new series, which is airing in the UK on Channel 4 now. The storyline for the second season goes in a totally different direction to the original Swedish series it is based on.

The cast described the ‘gruelling’ shoot that took place across three countries - this is everything you need to know about filming locations for the second season of Before We Die.

Where is Before We Die filmed?

The new season of Before We Die is also set, for the most part, in Bristol, and filming returned to the southern city in 2022. This time, filming also took place in Belgium and Spain.

Bristol 

Film crews returned to Bristol last year to shoot the second season of Before We Die. Locations that featured in the first season included Stokes Croft, Brandon Hill Park, Clarence Road, York Road, Clifton, and The Horsefair. 

Exact locations for season two have not been confirmed but it is likely that many of the settings from season one will feature. 

The show’s executive producer, Jo McGrath, said that Bristol was chosen as a location because of its history as a port city, which was important to the series' drug trafficking storyline.

Several popular shows have been filmed in Bristol - they include The Lazarus Project, Skins, Sanditon, and War of the Worlds.

Almeria, Spain

Almeria in southern Spain features as Costa Rica in the second season. Patrick Gibson (Christian) and Issy Knopfler (Bianca) shot their scenes where they are lying low together in Costa Rica in order to hide from the Mimica crime family at the historic city.

Speaking of filming in Spain, Gibson praised the production design, saying that he was shocked by how much the location felt like Costa Rica. He said that the process was “gruelling but rewarding because it was 32 degrees when we were shooting some of those fight sequences in the street.”

Several major films have been filmed in Almeria including western classics A Fistful of Dollars, and The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, and action adventure favourite Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. 

Additionally, Black Museum, the season four episode of Black Mirror, was shot in Almeria, as were some scenes for Game of Thrones, Silent Witness, and The Crown.

Brussels, Belgium

Despite being set largely on location, some scenes for both the first and second season were shot in Brussels, with the locations dressed to look like Bristol. McGrath said following the season one shoot: “We became specialists in “Anglifying” Belgium. I love the magic of my craft and this was a good way to bring the series to life.”

Several big films have been shot in Brussels, they include: Luther: The Fallen Sun, The Danish Girl, The Fifth Estate, and Blue is the Warmest Colour.