Use these 2018 Oscar nominees to inspire your next holiday
Set locations of popular films and series are often a source of travel inspiration. Just think about the scenic rice paddies of Bali in Eat, Pray, Love, and the icy moors of Northern Ireland as the stomping ground of our favourite Game of Thrones characters.
This year’s 90th Oscar awards ceremony takes place on Sunday (4 March) and promises a fresh batch of films featuring stunning new destinations that will be sure to ignite your inner travel bug, says Nicky Potgieter, Leisure Marketing Leader for Flight Centre.
“Films reveal what we can often not experience first-hand. Travel is a high-ticket item that you don’t get to experience before you go, so living vicariously through our favourite movie characters in the places that feature in TV series and movies gives us a taste of what we’ll encounter if we head beyond our borders.”
Scenes of beautiful landscapes and vibrant cities have the power to motivate us to get off the couch after the credits have started rolling so we can be the leading heroes and heroines in our own adventures, she adds.
Potgieter offers a round-up of travel destinations inspired by this year’s Oscar nominees, that you can add to your own holiday check-list.
Dunkirk, France
Some of the biggest Oscar buzz surrounds the war film Dunkirk, written, directed, and co-produced by Christopher Nolan. Depicting the Battle of Dunkirk and the evacuation of British, French and allied troops during WWII in 1940. A visit to the battlefields of WWI and WWII with Trafalgar’s special-interest guided holiday will be sure to please war history enthusiasts.
London, U.K
British actor Gary Oldman brings the legendary Winston Church to life in The Darkest Hour (yes another war film) also set during WWII when the fate of Western Europe sat squarely on the shoulders of their newly appointed Prime Minister. You can visit some of the popular attractions in central London that will reveal insights into this time in history, especially the Churchill War Rooms, Churchill's underground bunker set beneath the streets of Westminster.
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
The easy-on-the-eyes, animated feature film nominee, Loving Vincent has garnered top reviews from art aficionados. Set within the village where troubled artist, Vincent van Gogh lived his final weeks, it’s a good option to watch on the plane as you make your way to Amsterdam to view this famous Dutch Post-Impressionist painter’s work at the Van Gogh Museum. Consider visiting from end March to May when the beautiful blooms of Keukenhof are on display.
Day of the Dead, Mexico
Everybody loves a feel-good Disney theme song and this year “Remember Me” from the 2017 animated Disney Pixar film Coco, is up for an award. This family film, set in Mexico, follows a 12-year-old boy named Miguel Rivera. The plot is largely based around the Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos), a popular 3-day Mexican festival which you can celebrate (while humming Remember Me) at the end of October.
India
Up for a costume design nominee, the charming and visually delightful Victoria & Abdul focuses on themes of history, culture, friendship and travel, which will be sure to inspire movie-goers to make their own journey to India. The plot chronicles the friendship formed between Muslim clerk Abdul Karim, and Queen Victoria, when he travels from India to England to present her with a ceremonial coin in honour of her Golden Jubilee.
The 2018 Oscars will be broadcast live this Sunday 4th March on DSTV’s channel 109. Learn more about the full 2018 Oscar nominees lists here.
