Canada may double for New York or Chicago, but when it comes to France, producers often choose the real deal. The Da Vinci Code, The Devil Wears Prada and Marie-Antoinette all shot in the territory.

While there are no specific tax breaks for international productions the national film commission, Film France, is lobbying for tax breaks to extend beyond a tax credit for French productions. Meanwhile, the Ile de France film commission has an $18.5m support fund, open to international productions filming or posting in that region.

Patrick Lamassoure (pictured) joined the commission in 2004. He was previously deputy managing director of UniFrance.

Why shoot in France'
France has the greatest diversity of locations, combined with highly skilled crews, accustomed to working on all kinds of productions.

How successful is France in pulling in international production'
Very successful when a key location is involved in the decision. We have a network of 37 local film commissions highly experienced in finding the right location. We attract lots of VFX work.

What could France be doing better'
Our tax system, though sophisticated and efficient for local production, does not offer tax shelters for international productions.

Which are your biggest competitors'
For big international productions, England and the Czech Republic often attract sequences set in France.

What is the biggest misconception about France'
That our crews are expensive... You don't need a Hollywood budget to shoot in France.

What is your working day like'
Starts with reading the trades and checking incoming requests from foreign producers; meeting with the team to split work and decide on emergencies; phone calls, e-mailing and forums with our local film commissions; business lunch at 1pm; meetings with partners to prepare festivals or events; eventually, Los Angeles contacts at day's end.