Málaga's scenes in 'The Crown' through to European Film Location Awards finals

A COSTA del Sol city has been crowned finalist in the European Film Location Awards after it featured in scenes from a world-acclaimed British saga on Netflix.

Málaga's municipal auditorium and theatre, its Gran Hotel Miramar, C/ Molina Lario, the La Concepción Historical and Botanical Gardens, the Málaga Palacio Hotel, the Castañón de Mena military barracks, and the Monte Miramar Palace are just a handful of the locations put forward by the Andalucía Film Commission to Left Bank Pictures, Sony Pictures Television and Palma Pictures.

These and other parts of the provincial capital city were used in season four of The Crown – mainly because the Costa del Sol was easier and cheaper to get to for recreating scenes from Prince Charles' and Princess Diana's Royal visit to Australia and New Zealand in the 1980s for the Commonwealth Summit than using the actual, real-life venues on the other side of the world.

During filming, the Castañón de Mena barracks became a children's hospital in Sydney; the auditorium was 'decorated' to look exactly like Sydney Opera House with the Harbour Bridge in the background and crowds filling the steps in front; La Concepción gardens became Adelaide; the Monte Miramar Palace was the Australian president's residence in the capital, Canberra; Cártama bridge became Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, and Cártama Polo Club showed actor Josh O'Connor fall off his pony mid-Chukka.

Emma Corrin played Princess Diana to Josh's Prince Charles in seasons three and four, but in the forthcoming seasons five and six, Elizabeth Debicki will be the Princess of Wales and Dominic West will play the current heir to the British throne.

Members of the European Film Commissions Network nominate their choices of best locations used in the previous year from all over the continent, then a panel of five judges, all audio-visual experts, draw up a shortlist.

The finalists have been picked out this time around by Clara Le, sales director of The Location Guide and FOCUS London; Alexandra Lebret, director of the European Producers Club; Eric Mika, chairman of The Film Verdict; John Rakich, location scout and chairman of the Location Managers' Guild International (LMGI); and Dennis Ruh, manager of the European Film Market.

Now that the places shown on screen that have made the cut are through to the finals, the third and last phase will involve a public vote.

Viewers who wish to influence the choice of winner pick out their favourites via the EUFCN website.