Peru isn’t generally associated with Hollywood, but it has some noteworthy landscapes. Filmmakers can choose from the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu and the peaks of the Andes to the colorful streets of Cusco and the Amazon rainforest. While many movies have used Peru as the setting for adventure stories, the best ones capture the country’s history, culture, and natural beauty. These films show off some of the most fascinating places in Peru.
The Motorcycle Diaries (2004)
The Motorcycle Diaries might be the quintessential South American film. The movie follows Ernesto “Che” Guevara as he travels across the continent, and several memorable scenes were filmed in Peru. The movie features breathtaking locations including Machu Picchu, the Peruvian Andes, and the Amazon region. Guevara also travels through Cusco, Lima, and the San Pablo leper colony. It also does a great job of including indigenous communities and the country’s complicated history.
Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972)
Werner Herzog’s Aguirre, the Wrath of God is one of the most famous films ever made in Peru. Set during the Spanish conquest, the movie follows a group of explorers looking for the legendary city of El Dorado. It was shot deep within the Peruvian rainforest, around Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu, and near Amazon tributaries in the Ucayali region. Footage includes plenty of jungle and wilderness. The mysterious and dangerous rainforest is especially memorable.
The Emperor’s New Groove (2000)
We know this one is an animated movie, so it wasn’t technically “shot” in Peru, or anywhere for that matter. But we thought the Emperor’s New Groove still deserved a spot on this list, as it was inspired by Peru’s landscapes, architecture, and history. The fictional kingdom is modeled on the Inca Empire, with obvious influences from Machu Picchu and the Andes. The movie introduced millions of children to an imaginative version of ancient Peru. It is almost a love letter to the colorful country.
The Last Movie (1971)
Directed by Dennis Hopper, The Last Movie was filmed partly in Peru. This one is quite unusual, as far as Hollywood productions go. It tells the story of a stuntman who quits the movie business and moves in with a local after one of his colleagues is killed on a Peruvian set. The film takes advantage of Peru’s remote locations, using the natural environment to build a surreal and dreamlike atmosphere. This unconventional movie shows off the rugged beauty of Peru’s countryside in a way that few movies have managed to do.
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023)
This massive hit introduced a global audience to Peru’s ancient sites. Parts of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts were filmed at Cusco and San Martín, using Machu Picchu, Sacsayhuamán, Chinchero, the Maras salt mines, and Ahuashiyacu Waterfall. Audiences get to see some of the country’s most recognizable landmarks, along with areas less familiar to international viewers. The movie is a unique mix of ancient ruins and modern-day characters and storylines. Watching massive Transformers move through locations associated with the ancient Inca civilization is pretty incredible. It is likely the most visually impressive, mainstream movie filmed in Peru, as it shows off tons of Peruvian landscapes.
The Green Inferno (2013)
Eli Roth’s horror film The Green Inferno was filmed in Peru, choosing the dense Amazon rainforest as its setting. The movie is nonstop jungle, remote rivers, and isolated landscapes, reminding audiences that the characters are completely cut off from the outside world. While the plot is intentionally over-the-top and horrifying, the environment surrounding the characters is spectacular. The dense vegetation and seemingly endless wilderness truly start to feel ominous. It shows off a wild and remote-looking side of Peru that is far from the streets of Cusco or the ruins of Machu Picchu. Roth definitely chose one of the most unique environments on Earth as the backdrop for his extreme story.