Best Movies Filmed In Gloucester and Cape Ann 

March 01, 2023 / movies filmed in Gloucester

The 95th Academy Awards is scheduled to air on Sunday, March 12, 2023, live from the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. During the evening of star-gazing, fashion-watching, and honoring the best pictures of 2022, viewers will laugh, cry, and everything in between as the Academy hands out Oscars honoring some of the best pictures of the last year. 

In recent years, Gloucester and Cape Ann residents and those who visit the area annually watched as some of the nominees and winning films were set and shot right here in our little corner of the world. Our beautiful beaches, historic downtown, and working harbor make for great backdrops and have found their way into many a film on the big screen. 

Here are just a few of the movies that were filmed in Gloucester and Cape Ann. See how many you know and the scenes you recognize from our beautiful city. 

CODA (2021) 

CODA, which stands for Child of Deaf Adults, follows the story of Ruby Rossi, the 18-year-old who was the only hearing member of a family of four. As the only hearing child in the family, Ruby was depended upon by her family to translate and speak for her parents and brother. 

As Ruby grows tired of her role in the family and wishes to pursue her singing career and college, she must come to terms with how her family will adjust to her goals and how they will survive as a fishing family who cannot communicate with others in their industry. 

The movie was filmed in Gloucester along the harbor, in the boats, and at a quarry prior to the outbreak of the covid-19 pandemic. More specifically, the boat the Angela Rose was allowed for use by a local fisherman Paul Vitale. This allowed the movie crew to work closely with the fishing crew to provide an accurate portrayal of Gloucester’s working waterfront. The Gloucester Harbormaster, local businessman Sam Parisi, the State Fish Pier, and the town bandstand in Rockport (plus Rockport’s Shalin Liu Performance Center) also made appearances in the film.

The Perfect Storm (2000) 

The movie The Perfect Storm was based on the biographical disaster novel by Sebastian Junger. The book and movie tell the story of Andrea Gail, a commercial fishing vessel that was lost at sea with all souls on board after being caught in the Perfect Storm of 1991

The film retold the heartbreaking story of personal, physical, and emotional loss after a storm of epic proportions hit Gloucester, Massachusetts. The movie touches on the harsh reality of life as a fisherman and the ongoing struggles in the fishing industry to this day. 

Gloucester Harbor, the fishing fleet, and the beloved lighthouses of the Cape Ann region are prominently shown in the film. The city and its history are spotlighted by an all-star cast, with Mark Wahlberg, George Clooney, John C. Reilly, and Diane Lane playing pivotal roles. 

The Proposal (2009)

Starring Ryan Reynolds, Sandra Bullock, and Betty White, the 2009 movie entitled The Proposal was filmed right here on Cape Ann. In fact, in one of the scenes, you can see the famous Rockport icon, “Motif No.1.” This is the little red fisherman’s shack famous for being a subject of many famous painters’ and photographers’ work. 

This romantic comedy may have been set in Manhattan and Alaska but several locations in Gloucester, Rockport, and Manchester-by-the-Sea are seen in the filming of the movie. At one point during the filming parts of Cape Ann were rebuilt to look like Sitka, Alaska, thousands of miles away. 

As you watch the Oscars this year, keep in mind these movies that were filmed and set in gorgeous Gloucester, MA.