City nominated for Outstanding Film Commission at LMGI Awards

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BRANTFORD, ON – The City of Brantford has been nominated in the Outstanding Film Commission category for the Location Managers Guild International (LMGI) Awards for its work with The Handmaid’s Tale in 2020. The LMGI Awards recognize the incredible work of location professionals for contributions to film, television and commercial productions around the world, as well as film commissions offering support “above and beyond” during the production process. More than 300 international submissions were considered across all LMGI Award categories.

“It’s very exciting for Brantford to be recognized on the international stage,” says Kevin Dekok, Economic Development Officer for the City of Brantford. “This nomination honours the many people who collaborated on this project – local businesses, community partners, City staff and leadership, as well as the production’s locations team – and highlights why Brantford continues to attract film investment.”

In November 2020, Brantford welcomed The Handmaid’s Tale to film on Queen Street and Colborne Street. The City and the production company worked closely together to alter this area of the downtown to play the role of Chicago in a future dystopian world. Months of planning and days of filming transformed the setting into a sequence of visually amazing scenes on screen. The project unfolded successfully as planned.

The City understands that the honour of this recognition is shared among partners and groups who contributed to the success of the project. The Downtown Business Improvement Area supported businesses impacted by the filming activities. Residents and motorists facing disruption accommodated the challenges of closed streets and sidewalks. City staff from over a dozen departments and divisions worked in concert to provide seamless support to the production. The production’s talented locations team, who brought to the project to Brantford, conducted their duties with professionalism and efficiency as they coordinated a small army of cast and crew.

This nomination underscores how Brantford remains an important destination for filming. Since 2018, the City has taken steps to become increasingly film-friendly and the community has embraced the film industry. Last year alone, the film industry brought 12 projects to Brantford resulting in an estimated $1.16 million in related budgets, $220,000 in City billed costs and revenues, nearly 1,500 hotel room nights, and about 116 days of filming activity. This growing sector illustrates how film productions bring investment into the community and their presence offers a number of key benefits including temporary revenues, film tourism, civic pride and growth in arts and culture.

As film grows locally, Brantford is fortunate to work with an increasing number of film productions, connect with many municipal and regional communities across the province, and partner with Ontario Creates, an agency of the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries. Ontario is a premiere global destination for film, as illustrated by two nominations in the Outstanding Film Commission category.

The City is grateful to be among six film commissions from around the globe shortlisted for this annual award. The others honoured in this category are:

  • City of Kingston, Ontario, Canada for The Mayor of Kingstown
  • Hawaii Film Office for The White Lotus
  • Jamaica Promotions Corporation for No Time to Die
  • Oklahoma Film & Music Office for Reservation Dogs
  • The Royal Film Commission, Jordan for Zara Man

Winners will be announced at the LMGI Awards ceremony in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 27, 2022.

Media Contact:
Chelsey Tobin | Communications Specialist, Communications and Community Engagement
City of Brantford | 519-759-4150 ext. 5048 | ctobin@brantford.ca  

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