Tinseltown

Only after living in Montreal for some time I started noticing that this city is often used as a backdrop for many movies. In fact more movies are shot here than in any other Canadian city. The bilingual staff, cheaper labour, proximity to the USA (only 5 hours to LA, 1h to NYC by plane) and especially its Old World architecture transform this city regularly into Tinseltown.
Recently I started recognising Montreal in the Curious case of Benjamin Button (Moscow and Paris scenes), I'm not there (London scenes), Death Race, Get Smart and many more. From our office building I was even witnessing a new John Cusack flick.

However lateley things have cooled a bit. Other provinces have lured the big hollywood producers to their cities with far more interesting tax benefits on labour costs.
As usual, politicians were slow to respond and have now finally increased the tax credit. This is not only good news for the big studios but for everyone working in the film industry. The local film industry more than benefits from the know-how and experience of working on big blockbusters. It also ensures that the local filmmakers community will stay vibrant for years to come. Some of my favourite local QC films are: Le guide de la petite vengeance, La turbulence des fluides (with the gorgeous Pascale Bussières), Les 3 p'tit cochons, Horloge Biologique and Québec-Montréal.