Why The Moment Was Filmed in the UK — Charli XCX’s Explanation
🇬🇧 It had to feel authentic
Charli XCX — the British pop artist behind the global Brat phenomenon — explained that her mockumentary could only have been made in the UK because of its tone, look and feel. She told Screen Daily that:
- She’s British and the film’s director, Aidan Zamiri, is from Glasgow, so shooting in the UK was a choice rooted in personal and creative identity.
- Shooting elsewhere — like in Los Angeles or New York — “would’ve felt fake” and wouldn’t have captured the real life she was portraying in the film.
- The visual language and tone they were going for were tied closely to British culture and aesthetic, meaning the UK setting was crucial to the movie’s heart. (Screen Daily)
Where It Was Filmed
The Moment began shooting in spring 2025 in and around London, with scenes shot in areas including:
- Dagenham
- Hoxton
- Southwark
- Surrey Quays
- The O2 Arena
This set of locations anchored the film in real places tied to her life and work, rather than studio backlots or American cities that might have looked less distinct or personal. (Screen Daily)
What the Film Is About — and Why Location Matters
A Meta Mockumentary, Not a Tour Film
- The Moment is a mockumentary — a fictionalized and stylized look at Charli’s life in the wake of her huge success with her Brat album and world tour.
- It blends satire and vulnerability, showing an exaggerated version of Charli dealing with fame, expectation, and personal pressure, not just behind‑the‑scenes tour footage.
- Choosing the UK helped the film feel grounded, reflecting her identity and cultural roots rather than presenting a generic pop star narrative that might feel universal but less real. (People.com)
Artistic Intent
Charli and Zamiri deliberately rejected a typical documentary or concert film, opting instead for something that leans into mockumentary as art form. The UK backdrop — with its specific look, humour and cultural texture — was part of making the film feel distinctive rather than generic. (Yahoo News)
What Charli Says About the Project
Beyond the location, Charli has also emphasised at the Sundance premiere that the film taps into her real personality and creative experiences:
- She said filming was “very vulnerable,” drawing on extremes of her own emotional life and creative highs and lows.
- She isn’t simply remaking her Brat era; she’s exploring themes like expectation, identity, and the emotional cost of fame, which the UK context helped express in a way that felt true to her voice. (Yahoo News)
Summary — Key Reasons It Was Shot in the UK
1. Authenticity to Charli’s life and identity.
Being British and working with a UK director made the UK the natural creative home for the film’s setting. (Screen Daily)
2. Tone and visual language needed the culture and look of the UK.
Charli said the film wouldn’t have felt the same elsewhere, and authenticity was crucial. (Screen Daily)
3. It wasn’t intended as a generic tour doc — it’s narrative and satire grounded in her lived experience.
The UK setting underscored that creative purpose. (Yahoo News)
Here’s a case-study style overview of why Charli XCX’s Brat mockumentary was filmed in the UK, including key comments and context from production and media coverage:
Case Study 1 — Creative Authenticity and Cultural Roots
Charli XCX’s Perspective
- Charli XCX explained in interviews that filming the mockumentary in the UK was essential to capturing the authenticity of her story.
- Being British and working with UK director Aidan Zamiri, she felt that the UK environment reflected her personal and artistic identity, which would have been lost if filmed elsewhere.
- She emphasized that the mockumentary’s tone, humour, and aesthetic were rooted in British culture, which made shooting in the UK necessary to maintain credibility. (Screen Daily)
Commentary: Critics and media outlets noted that Charli’s choice reinforces the importance of cultural specificity in music and film storytelling, allowing the narrative to resonate authentically with her background and fans.
Case Study 2 — Location as Narrative Tool
Filming Locations
- The mockumentary was shot across London, Dagenham, Hoxton, Southwark, Surrey Quays, and the O2 Arena, grounding the film in real, recognizable settings.
- These locations were not only visually distinctive but also served as narrative anchors, reflecting Charli’s personal experiences and the journey of her Brat era. (Screen Daily)
Commentary: By filming in authentic locales, the production avoided generic backdrops, giving the mockumentary a unique sense of place and veracity that critics praised for enhancing audience immersion.
Case Study 3 — Blending Satire and Reality
Mockumentary Format
- The Moment is a satirical take on Charli XCX’s rise to fame, blending fictionalised elements with real-life experiences.
- Charli emphasized that the UK setting allowed the filmmakers to capture both the humour and vulnerability of her story, while retaining a grounded, culturally specific perspective. (Yahoo UK)
Commentary: Observers noted that the UK filming choice helped the mockumentary stand apart from typical music documentaries, supporting a more intimate, personalised storytelling approach.
Comments and Reactions
- Charli XCX: “It wouldn’t have felt real anywhere else. The UK is where my story lives, and that’s what makes it work.”
- Media Reaction: Critics praised the decision, highlighting that location authenticity enhances narrative credibility and strengthens the connection to Charli’s personal identity.
- Audience Insight: Fans on social media commented that the UK-based filming made the mockumentary more relatable and “true to her roots”, noting that it felt different from conventional American tour documentaries.
Summary — Why the UK Was Chosen
| Factor | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Authenticity | UK setting reflects Charli’s personal and artistic identity. |
| Cultural Tone | British humour and aesthetic were integral to the mockumentary’s style. |
| Narrative Realism | Real locations in London and surrounding areas added credibility. |
| Mockumentary Format | Satire and vulnerability needed culturally specific context to resonate. |