Hiroshima Mon Amour (1959) – Filming Locations
Drama / History / Romance · Directed by Alain Resnais · Starring Eiji Okada, Emmanuelle Riva
The deep conversation between a Japanese architect and a French actress forms the basis of this celebrated French film, considered one of the vanguard productions of the French New Wave. Set in Hiroshima after the end of World War II, the couple -- lovers turned friends -- recount, over many hours, previous romances and life experiences. The two intertwine their stories about the past with pondering the devastation wrought by the atomic bomb dropped on the city.
Where was Hiroshima Mon Amour filmed?
- Hiroshima, Japan, Hiroshima – Opening sequences showing the aftermath of the atomic bombing, ruins, and memorials. The film opens with stark documentary footage of the bombed city and its reconstruction, establishing the historical trauma at the heart of the narrative
- Hiroshima, Japan, Hiroshima – The French actress and Japanese architect walk through the reconstructed city, discussing memory and forgetting. The couple's conversations throughout the film occur as they navigate Hiroshima's rebuilt streets, which serve as a physical manifestation of collective memory and recovery
- Hiroshima, Japan, Hiroshima – Intimate scenes between the two characters in their hotel room and other interior locations. The intimate spaces where the lovers meet and confess their pasts provide counterpoint to the public memorial spaces, blending personal and historical trauma