Abhiroop Das
‘The Cursed,’ also known as ‘Eight For Silver,’ centers around an unnamed fictional village in France in 1881, which is besieged by strange beasts that infect others through their bite. The trigger seems to be the local land baron’s horrific erasure of a Gypsy clan, and the subsequent curse threatens the life of everyone who lives in the region. Pathologist John McBride enters into the fray as an outsider, eager to unravel the mystery and put an end to the beasts’ reign of terror. Their struggle marks the bulk of the narrative, which treats the village as a character in and of itself, in constant interaction with the supernatural elements infused within. As such, this period piece is heavily reliant on its setting in order to ground its grimdark elements.
The Cursed Filming Locations
‘The Cursed’ was largely lensed in the Charente Department of western France, in the small commune of Cognac and the surrounding countryside. Filming also extended to the nearby Charente-Maritime Department, particularly the village of Lonzac. The production took place in two stages: from April 8 to May 29, 2019, and again from February 10 to March 4, 2020. Vintage Film Paris and production partners reportedly supported logistical operations in Cognac, while domain services from Peninsula Films and local coordinators managed on‑site shoots around estates and village buildings. The location selection appears carefully matched to the period tone conceived by the creative team, and given that director Sean Ellis is himself a resident of Cognac, he was already acquainted with many of the locations in advance.
Cognac, France
Cognac and its surrounding regions served as the main backdrop for the film’s fictional village, offering a mix of sophisticated historical architecture and vast landscapes that grounded the 19th-century setting. While the commune, a part of the Charente Department, is best known for the alcohol industry, its quaint buildings and unspoiled exteriors definitely came as a boon for the crew. Director Sean Ellis explained his choice for the location in an interview with Sud Ouest, stating, “I wanted to work here. It’s a bit like an island. There is no real travel infrastructure, no direct flights or highways; it’s rather isolated and hidden. This makes the city something authentic.”
Actor Alistair Petrie, who essays the role of Seamus Laurent, also shared his take on the location in an interview with Fox5: “Now, obviously, everybody knows Cognac, because they produce some very high-end drinks. But it’s a very, very tiny and very quiet town.” He also pointed out that the fog present in many of the scenes is a real phenomenon that occurs in the village, with artificial fog screens only being used in the absence of their natural counterparts. Among the key filming sites was the Domaine du Coureau, an estate just southwest of Cognac in Salles-d’Angles, which appears to have been used as the Laurent family’s residence. Its spacious grounds and layered façade lent themselves to narrative function and technical staging.
Additionally, portions of ‘The Cursed’ were taped at Église Saint-Denis de Lichères, a Romanesque church located a short distance from the commune, which likely stood in for the village church. Cognac’s cinematic appeal stretches beyond this movie as it has previously been the setting for productions such as ‘Lola & Her Brothers’ and ‘The Dazzled’, which have utilized the town’s heritage buildings and pastoral surroundings. This varied slate reflects Cognac’s ability to support both character-driven drama and atmospheric thrillers without requiring much set dressing. Both of these qualities came in handy in the making of ‘The Cursed,’ wherein the narrative relies heavily on how the landscape, along with the characters, is impacted by a seemingly unstoppable curse.
Charente-Maritime Department, France
Some chunks of ‘The Cursed’ were also lensed across the Charente-Maritime Department in western France, a region that shares much of its architectural character with Cognac but branches into the country’s west coast. The place is renowned for its biodiversity and wooden housing culture. Specifically, the village of Lonzac, located within the department, served as the base for a major exterior scene. Lonzac’s iconic church can be seen at a distance at some points throughout the movie. It is also likely that the rural quiet of this region aligned well with the film’s atmosphere of mounting dread and contained brutality. The Charente-Maritime Department is no stranger to blockbuster productions, with titles such as ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ and ‘Das Boot’ also being filmed in the scenic location.
Read More: The Cursed Ending Explained
