Screen International is profiling all the winners of the fourth Global Production Awards, which were held tonight (May 18) at the Mademoiselle Gray Barriere in Cannes.
City of Film
Winner: Toronto, Canada (City of Toronto, Canada)
Awarded to a city that has helped TV and filmmakers deliver while developing local skills and expertise and boosting the economy, this year’s winner emerged triumphant from a lineup of global entries. The winning city had to demonstrate a record of creative and commercial success, providing efficient and effective help to productions in their jurisdiction, with examples of projects and how they were delivered. Each entry was asked to show a clear vision of the role film and TV production plays in the economic and cultural health of the city.
In winning this year’s prize, Toronto nudged ahead of fellow Canadian entry Calgary, AlUla in Saudi Arabia, Australia’s Gold Coast, Gothenberg in Sweden, Croatia’s Zagreb and Tampa Bay in the US. In winning, Toronto was judged to be a world-class destination for filmmakers, offering great support from local government for its film and TV ambitions.
“Out of all the nominees, Toronto has the longest track record of successful growth and production numbers,” stated one judge. “[The city is] seen by many as a gold standard, [showing] how it can grow with an industry and become a focal point of choice.”
Another judge praised the Toronto’s well-rounded submission. “The scale of production activity, combined with a mature infrastructure and deep talent pool, reinforces its position as a leading global production hub,” noted this judge. “Its entry highlights both economic impact and cultural contribution, with compelling examples across film, television and VFX. Continued growth in training, local talent development and end-to-end production capability positions the city for long-term competitiveness. Incentive offerings are industry-leading.”
Other nominees:
- Gold Coast, Australia (Invest Gold Coast)
- AlUla, Saudi Arabia (Film AlUla)
- Calgary, Canada (Calgary Economic Development)
- Gothenburg, Sweden (Film i Väst)
- Tampa Bay, US (Film Tampa Bay)
- Zagreb, Croatia (Zagreb Film Office)
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