 Four movies filmed in Placer County have won Academy Awards.
Over the years, Placer’s stunning terrain has played a role in some of Hollywood’s most iconic films. Here are the Oscar-winners with local scenes:
“The Gold Rush” (1925): Charlie Chaplin’s masterpiece was partially filmed at Sugar Bowl Ski Resort. It went on to win Best Original Score and Best Sound Mixing at the 1943 Oscars after its reissue.
“A Place in the Sun” (1951): Filmed at Lake Tahoe, this classic starring Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift won Best Picture at the 1952 Oscars.
“The Godfather Part II” (1974): Often celebrated as one of the greatest sequels in cinematic history, this film, also partially filmed at Lake Tahoe, took home Best Picture and a total of 11 Oscars in 1975.
“Her” (2013): Directed by Spike Jonze and starring Joaquin Phoenix, parts of this visionary movie were filmed in Placer County. It won Best Original Screenplay, along with accolades for Production Design and Original Score, and was nominated for Best Picture at the 2014 Oscars.
Placer County’s natural beauty and versatile landscapes continue to inspire filmmakers and create cinematic magic. Find a complete list of locally-filmed movies, TV series, commercials and more on our website.
Following this year’s postponement due to the Los Angeles fires, the 97th Academy Awards will take place this Sunday, March 2, at the Dolby Theater. See all of the nominees here.
 At around 6:20 a.m. on the morning of Feb. 22, 1935, railroad workers in Roseville were startled by a fireball in the sky overhead. Some of the workers thought the object was moving toward Lincoln while others reported it was heading south.
A Southern Pacific freight train crew reported they saw an airplane in flames that crashed somewhere between Lincoln and Roseville. But no one in Roseville or Lincoln reported any crashed airplanes—or anything at all unusual. G.M. Boles, a switchman in the Roseville train yard, said it was a meteor. But which direction was it going and where did it land?
The answer was about 130 miles to the southwest in Monterey Bay. According to the Feb. 23, 1935, Santa Cruz Evening News: “Richard Rackerby of San Francisco and James Scott…parked in an automobile at the ocean cliff at the end of 41st avenue yesterday morning and saw a huge object drop into the waters of Monterey Bay…the object was three times the size of an automobile and it dropped into the bay about a mile from shore, causing a splash and huge waves. The belief of the boys was that it was a meteor.”
About 17,000 meteorites fall to Earth every year with automobile-sized meteorites falling about once per year.
Photo: While we don’t have any meteorites in our collection, we do have a photograph of the Lake Tahoe passenger steamboat Meteor c. 1885
 Whether it’s representing your community or sharing your expertise on topics like agriculture or parks, there are always opportunities for you to help advise county leaders on the issues that matter to you most. Recruitment is open now to fill seats on the following committees or commissions, among others. Learn more and apply
Current recruitments include:
 Don’t miss the fun coming this next week in...
Roseville: Food Truck Mania, The World's Worst Expo
Lincoln: Protect Your Pets: FieldHaven Feline Center’s Vaccine & Microchip Clinic
Auburn: PARC Winter Social: River Rendezvous, Lay of the Land: Geology Hike at Big Hill Preserves, Pie Party on the Preserve, Farmers’ Market, Envision Auburn 2045
North Lake Tahoe: North Lake Tahoe SNOWFEST 2025, SNOWFEST Street Faire,
Colfax: Clean Slate, Coffee & Conversation
...and many Placer County Library and Placer County Museum events.
Visit our regional partners to discover more of the fun happening right here in Placer County!
Placer County Visitors' Bureau
North Tahoe Community Alliance
Tahoe City Downtown Association
The Arts Council of Placer County
Placer Valley Tourism
PlacerGROWN
Placer Wine Trail
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