Maps of Movies
Arrival (2016)
Where Arrival says it takes place, and where it was really shot.
The film says Montana, but the landing field is in Quebec
View on the map
Scenes and places
Louise's house by the water (2016)
Louise tells us she no longer trusts beginnings and endings. Memories of her daughter come in out of order, and the house is where they live. The scene sets up the question the film keeps asking about time.
Set in Louise Banks's house — The lakeside house where Louise lives and where her memories of her daughter play out.
A private home on a river island west of Montreal; it is not open to visitors.
Filmed at A private house on Chemin de l'Île, Vaudreuil-Dorion (Chemin de l'Île, Vaudreuil-Dorion, Canada) — A real house here was used as Banks's home. Point is the town centre, not the house. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
The lecture that stops mid-sentence (2016)
Louise teaches a nearly empty class about Portuguese when a student asks her to turn on the news. Twelve objects have landed around the world, and the room empties around her. She is left alone with the screen.
Set in Louise's university (unnamed in the film) — The lecture hall where Louise's Portuguese class is interrupted by news of the landings.
The Université de Montréal main campus sits on the north slope of Mount Royal.
Filmed at Université de Montréal, main campus (Côte-des-Neiges, Montreal, Canada) — The university scenes were shot on this campus. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there: Metro Université-de-Montréal (Blue line); the main pavilion is on Chemin de la Tour.
Filmed at HEC Montréal auditorium and cafeteria (Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montreal, Canada) — The auditorium and cafeteria used for the university scenes. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
The colonel in her office (2016)
Colonel Weber visits Louise with a recording of the visitors' sounds and a job offer. She says she can't translate audio alone and must go to the site, and he walks out refusing. His parting test is a Sanskrit word, and her answer is what gets her the job.
Set in Louise's university office (unnamed in the film) — The office where Colonel Weber asks Louise to translate an audio recording.
An office on a working campus; the film never names the university.
Filmed at Université de Montréal, main campus (Côte-des-Neiges, Montreal, Canada) — The university scenes were shot on this campus. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
The field by the craft (2016)
Louise flies to a military camp and meets physicist Ian Donnelly, who has read her book. Their first exchange is a disagreement about whether language or science is the base of civilization. Weber tells them to talk to the visitors before throwing math at them.
Set in Landing site and army camp, Montana (north of I-94) — The army camp beside the craft where Louise meets Ian and is briefed before she goes in.
The site was picked so the craft would not be dwarfed by mountains, but not in a barren cliché.
Filmed at Fields at Saint-Fabien, Quebec (Bas-Saint-Laurent, Saint-Fabien, Canada) — Saint-Fabien served as Montana; the craft's exterior was shot here. Point is the village centre, not the field. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
Inside the shell (2016)
Louise and Ian ride up in suits and step into a room where gravity shifts. She takes off her helmet and writes 'human' on a board, and the visitors answer. It is the first time anyone makes contact.
Set in Inside the craft (the 'shell') — The chamber where Louise and Ian meet the visitors behind a glass wall.
The meeting room was inspired by the light installations of James Turrell.
Characters
- Louise Banks — A linguist asked to find out why twelve craft have landed.
- Ian Donnelly — A theoretical physicist who works beside her.
- Colonel Weber — The army officer who recruits her.
Questions answered on the map
- Where was the Montana landing field in Arrival really filmed?
- Which university is the one in Arrival?