Explore the world of Netflix's Unorthodox in Brooklyn and Berlin
Apr 29, 2020 鈥 5 min read
Amit Rahav and Shira Haas as Yanky and Esther in Unorthodox 漏 Anika Molnar/Netflix
狈别迟蹿濒颈虫鈥檚 premiered in late March, and its captivating portrayal of a young Hasidic woman鈥檚 conservative upbringing in Brooklyn and her subsequent escape to 鈥 and reinvention in 鈥 Berlin was instantly transporting. A four-part miniseries based in part on a memoir by Deborah Feldman, the show revolves around the character of Esther Shapiro and her journey of self-discovery, but the two cities play a major role as well, pulling back the curtain on Williamsburg鈥檚 insular, ultra-religious Satmar sect and reveling in the freedom and new beginnings that Berlin represents.
鈥淲e are seeing both Brooklyn and Berlin through Esty鈥檚 eyes,鈥 Unorthodox co-creator and executive producer Anna Winger tells 香港六合彩即时开奖. 鈥淭he production design 鈥 created by the very talented Silke Fischero 鈥 on both sides of this story is expressionistic.鈥
The show鈥檚 50-day shoot began in Germany, where Feldman, Winger, and co-creator Alexa Karolinski all live, filming in neighborhoods across the capital city before heading to New York for the exteriors. Esty鈥檚 wedding takes place in Brooklyn, but it was filmed in a Palestinian wedding hall north of Berlin, while the caf茅 where she meets her first musician friend is a local favorite. 鈥淭he coffee shop is a real one, the Barn鈥攖hey make the best coffee in Berlin,鈥 Winger says.
Here are a few more locations you'll recognize from the show.
1. Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Williamsburg may have a reputation as a hipster hub, but this part of north Brooklyn is also known for its Hasidic enclaves, including Unorthodox鈥檚 Satmar sect. Though the two cultures overlap geographically, the bars, restaurants, and boutiques on Bedford are practically a world away from the Jewish bakeries and kosher meat markets of Lee Avenue.
To follow in Esty鈥檚 footsteps, opt for a leisurely stroll away from those main drags and the scenery should look familiar. 鈥淲e chose most of the exteriors of key locations in Brooklyn first and built the interiors to match in Berlin,鈥 Winger says.
2. West Berlin
To 19-year-old Esty, Berlin represents a fresh start, and the show鈥檚 creative team chose locations that would echo that feeling visually, shooting primarily in Kreuzberg, a dynamic neighborhood full of eclectic eateries, bars, and shops, but also in 厂肠丑枚苍别产别谤驳, Charlottenburg, Wannsee and around Potsdamer Platz, a historic city quarter that was revitalized in the 1990s thanks to architectural contributions from Renzo Piano and Helmut Jahn.
鈥淲hen we were looking [for] locations in Berlin, we wanted to emphasize color and light, non-linear shapes and a kind of open feeling,鈥 Winger says. The team was particularly drawn to 鈥渟pecial fanciful architecture鈥 like the buildings around the 鈥60s-style venue Berlin Philharmonie, she adds, like the Musikinstrumenten-Museum, which serves as the stand-in for the music academy where Esty meets her new cohort, and the outr茅 鈥80s facade of the Hinrich Baller apartment building on Winterfeldtplatz, where Esty鈥檚 mother lives. 鈥淲e wanted to explore spaces and non-linear architecture on the west side of the city, which is seen less on film,鈥 Winger says.
3. East Berlin
Though most of the Berlin shoot took place in the former west, scenes from the show鈥檚 third installment were also filmed on the city鈥檚 east side. Esty鈥檚 estranged husband and his cousin take a break from their search for the runaway bride with a visit to , Europe鈥檚 biggest Jewish cemetery and the resting place for more 115,000 people.
Later, Esty is job-hunting when she overhears a choir singing at the and finds herself drawn inside to listen. Formerly a meeting place for both Nazi and East German opposition, today the church hosts a permanent exhibit on site, and on Sundays, its tower is open to the public for a nominal fee, offering expansive city views for those willing to climb the 104 steps to the top.
4. Wannsee lake
Located on the southwestern outskirts of Berlin, Wannsee lake 鈥 really an inlet in the Havel River 鈥 is a beautiful place to escape the city, with forests for exploring, beaches for lounging, and fresh water for swimming. The picturesque waterfront is also home to several historically important sights, chief among them Haus der Wannsee-Konferenz, the villa where Nazi officials arranged the details of the 鈥楩inal Solution.鈥 It鈥檚 now a memorial, with an exhibit hosted in the very rooms where those conversations took place.
The lake and the villa both make an appearance in Unorthodox鈥檚 first episode, when Esty and her new friends make a trip to the beach. She stands watching in her Hasidic garb as they strip down to their swimsuits and sprint towards the water, eventually wading in, still fully clothed, before pulling off her wig and submerging herself entirely.
鈥淚 have always loved a silent Billy Wilder film from 1930 called People on Sunday,鈥 Winger says. 鈥淚t shows the city at leisure and culminates with a trip to Wannsee for a swim. The film plays in a loop at the Jewish museum here, a monument to lost innocence. I wrote the Wannsee scene as an homage to that film. So the choice of that location was very deliberate.鈥
鈥淲e鈥檇 talked a lot about the experience of being Jewish in Germany, and how there are common themes throughout,鈥 Winger told the of her conversations with Feldman. 鈥淒islocation, a reason for coming, grappling with history, the metropolitan New York-ness of Berlin... I鈥檝e lived here now for 17 years, and I think that one of the things that makes the city really striking is how layers of history exist simultaneously."
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