Maps of Movies
The Dictator (2012)
Where The Dictator says it takes place, and where it was really shot.
A made-up dictatorship was filmed in a Seville square, with the United Nations built on a Long Island soundstage
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Scenes and places
Wadiya, the dictator's palace
Aladeen rules Wadiya with female bodyguards and renames words in the dictionary after himself. When the UN threatens to intervene, he sets off for New York.
Set in Wadiya (fictional country) — The made-up Republic of Wadiya, ruled by Admiral-General Aladeen.
A fictional country: the palace scenes were shot in a real square in Seville, Spain.
Filmed at Plaza de España, Seville — The square was dressed as the dictator's palace, with a gold-domed entrance and a fleet of vehicles. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
Aladeen arrives at the United Nations
Aladeen arrives in New York to speak to the Security Council. Almost at once he is kidnapped by a bodyguard hired by his uncle.
Set in United Nations Headquarters, New York — Aladeen travels to the UN Headquarters in New York City to address the council. Google Maps · Apple Maps
The UN refused to let the crew film inside, so the council scenes were built on a soundstage on Long Island.
Filmed at United Nations Headquarters, New York — An exterior scene with protestors demonstrating against the dictator was filmed on location at the UN. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
Filmed at Grumman Studios, Bethpage, New York — The UN interior shots were made on a soundstage here, not at the UN. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
Lost in New York
After escaping, Aladeen wanders New York in plain clothes as "Allison Burgers". He meets Zoey, who offers him a job at her cooperative.
Set in New York City — Aladeen wanders through New York City in civilian clothes under a false name. Google Maps · Apple Maps
Only the city is documented; no source ties these scenes to particular streets.
Filmed at New York City — The film shot in New York City; the sources do not say which streets were used for which scene. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
Death to Aladeen, the restaurant
Aladeen follows Nadal into a restaurant called Death to Aladeen, full of people he had ordered executed. Nadal covers for him and offers to help him regain power.
Set in Little Wadiya, New York — A New York district of refugees from Wadiya, with a restaurant called Death to Aladeen.
A fictional neighbourhood; no filming location is documented.
Zoey's cooperative
Aladeen takes Zoey's job and starts turning her struggling business around, imposing strict schedules and winning over an inspector. He grows closer to Zoey.
Set in Zoey's cooperative shop — Zoey's progressive, alternative-lifestyle cooperative.
No filming location is documented for the shop.
The hotel signing ceremony
With a new beard, Aladeen ziplines into the hotel and talks to the decoy Efawadh. The signing ceremony is about to start in front of the media.
Set in The signing hotel — The hotel where Tamir's document is to be signed.
No filming location is documented for the hotel.
Filmed at Randall's Island racetrack, New York — A race scene in which Aladeen fires a gun to start the race (the film's story place is not known). Google Maps · Apple Maps
Filmed at Fuerteventura, Canary Islands — Exterior scenes; which scene is not documented. Google Maps · Apple Maps
Characters
- Aladeen — The dictator of Wadiya, stranded in New York without his beard.
- Zoey — A human rights activist who runs a cooperative shop in New York.
- Nadal — The former head of Wadiya's nuclear weapons programme.
- Efawadh — A dim-witted shepherd used as Aladeen's decoy.
Questions answered on the map
- Where was the dictator's palace in The Dictator filmed?
- Did The Dictator really film inside the United Nations?