The Spanish thriller All the Names of God (original title: Todos los nombres de Dios), directed by Daniel Calparsoro, prominently features Ciudad Real International Airport as a key filming location. Released in 2023, the film stars Luis Tosar as taxi driver Santi, who becomes entangled in a terrorist plot following an attack. The airport, a disused facility south of Ciudad Real in central Spain, served as a backdrop for intense action sequences, leveraging its vast, abandoned infrastructure to heighten the story’s tension.
The Scene
In All the Names of God, the narrative unfolds amid chaos after a terrorist attack where protagonist Santi is taken hostage by the surviving terrorist Hamza. A pivotal twist transforms Santi into a human bomb, striding through crowded Madrid streets like Gran Vía. While specific scene details at the airport are not extensively documented, production reports indicate it hosted critical action moments, likely involving high-stakes confrontations or escapes. These sequences capitalize on the airport’s empty runways and terminals to depict isolation and danger, amplifying the film’s themes of unpredictability and survival. Intelligence services and emergency responders converge in the plot’s climax, mirroring real-world tension filmed across urban and remote sites.
The Real Filming Location
Ciudad Real International Airport, also known as CRIA (IATA: CQM, ICAO: LERL), is an abandoned international airport located about 70 kilometers south of Madrid near Ciudad Real, Spain. Opened in 2009 as Spain’s first privately funded international airport at a cost of €1.1 billion, it operated briefly before financial issues led to its closure in April 2012. Today, it functions primarily as a long-term aircraft storage facility, with its 4-kilometer runway and modern terminal standing largely unused. The site’s coordinates are 38°51′23″N 003°58′12″W, matching the query’s reference. Its prior media uses, including Pedro Almodóvar’s I’m So Excited! in 2012 and Volvo’s “Epic Split” ad, underscore its appeal for cinematic shoots requiring expansive, desolate settings.
Why This Location Was Chosen
Information not available from verified sources on the exact production reasoning for selecting Ciudad Real International Airport in All the Names of God. However, the site’s history suggests practical advantages: its closure provided unrestricted access to a massive runway and terminal without public interference, ideal for action choreography involving vehicles or stunts. Proximity to Madrid—about a 45-minute drive—facilitated logistics for a shoot spanning urban Gran Vía and Paseo de la Castellana. Similar choices in prior projects, like Top Gear‘s 2013 supercar challenge, highlight the airport’s versatility for high-speed or explosive scenes, likely prioritizing cost-efficiency and visual isolation over active airfields.
Visiting the Location
Ciudad Real International Airport is not open to the general public as a tourist site, functioning mainly as a secure aircraft storage yard since its 2012 closure. Access is restricted to authorized personnel, with no official tours or visitor facilities available. Located south of Ciudad Real off the A-43 highway, it’s reachable by car from Madrid in under an hour, but perimeter fencing and private security prevent close entry. Nearby Ciudad Real offers accommodations and amenities, including the historic Plaza Mayor and high-speed AVE train connections. For film enthusiasts, viewing from public roads provides distant glimpses of the runways; drones or unauthorized entry are prohibited. Check local aviation regulations before planning a visit, as the site remains operational for storage.
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Location Address:
Ciudad Real Central Airport, CR-5136, Villar del Pozo, Ciudad Real, Castile-La Mancha, 13080, Spain
