Winnipeg & Hallmark: When you'll be able to see the city on your television screen
A television network needs a quaint Christmassy setting where a leading lady can come back home to save Christmas and fall in love.
Enter Winnipeg.
Over the past several years, the city has been the backdrop for dozens of Hallmark holiday movies and this year several more are being added to the growing list of feel-good, seasonal films that are Manitoba-shot.
Manitoba Film and Music told CTV News Winnipeg that six Hallmark movies were shot in the province this year, and a seventh is in production right now.
“We've got all the right kinds of places that they like to see,” said Lynne Skromeda, Manitoba Film and Music’s CEO & Film Commissioner. “We can dress up as Christmas time in the middle of summer and everything and they really like that.”
Skroemda said the draw to shoot here is a trifecta of a good film tax credit, the low cost of living and a good exchange rate. But there’s also beautiful locations, and a reliable pool of crew and actors. Each year she said anywhere from six to 12 Hallmark movies are shot in the city and she doesn’t expect it to slow down.
“We’re a really popular go-to place for Hallmark, and I think it's going to stay that way,” she said.
Skromeda said she doesn’t yet know what’s on the docket for next year but said the film community is grateful to Hallmark for making a commitment to Manitoba.
“It's been a real, nice thing to have that solid, reliable relationship with a number of the production companies and the channel to be able to continue to grow and develop the industry, but also continue to make us look good,” she said.
Earlier this month Hallmark announced its holiday movie schedule, Countdown to Christmas, which airs on the W Network in Canada.
The first film in the lineup premieres Friday and is called ''Twas the Date Before Christmas.' It wasn’t shot in Winnipeg but the lead actor, Amy Groening, is from here.
“It's a really fun film, and I hope that people can get in the Christmas spirit a little early this year,” Groening said.
Groening moved back to Winnipeg five years ago because the movie industry was booming and a big part of that was Hallmark. She said she has now been in 10 Hallmark movies, but this is her first starring role.
“Slowly over that time, I've gotten to know the Hallmark network and some of the fans, and it's just sort of built this relationship that slowly led to the trust that they would give me my own film as a lead,” she said.
“It's a big honour.”
Groening said she’s always loved holiday movie season but now it’s even more exciting because she gets to watch films featuring her hometown that have people she knows and loves in them.
No spoilers were given for ''Twas the Date Before Christmas', but Groening said she plays a character named Jessie who is looking for love during the holidays.
“So when her mom threatens to cancel their big family Christmas, she panics and she tells her mom that she's bringing someone, even though she does not have anyone to bring,” she said.
Groening explained Jessie then makes an online dating profile to find a blind date for Christmas, the rest you’ll have to watch to find out.
''Twas the Date Before Christmas' airs Friday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. CT
Here’s the holiday Hallmark schedule for movies shot in Manitoba:
'A Carol for Two' – Friday, Nov, 1 at 7 p.m. CT
'Five Gold Rings' – Thursday, Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. CT
'Hanukkah on the Rocks' – Friday, Dec. 13 at 7 p.m. CT
'Following Yonder Star' – Sunday, Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. CT
Other Hallmark movies filmed here this year:
'Autumn at Apple Hill'
'The Magic of Lemon Drops'
'Haunted Wedding'
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
SaskPower receives largest workplace fine in province's history for 2020 deaths of employees in Weyburn
SaskPower was sentenced Friday morning in a Weyburn courtroom, receiving a record fine, after being found guilty of three workplace-safety related violations when two experienced employees were killed on the job in 2020.
'Just unbelievable': Video shows wild incident at B.C. frozen yogurt shop
Police were called to a frozen yogurt shop in Richmond, B.C., Wednesday after a man went behind the counter and scooped some of the product with his hand.
Thousands of hybrid vehicles recalled in Canada over risk of fire
An increased risk of fire has prompted the recall of thousands of Honda hybrid vehicles in Canada.
Trump compares jailed U.S. Capitol rioters to Japanese internment during Second World War
Former U.S. president Donald Trump on Friday compared the people jailed on charges that they stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, to the more than 120,000 people of Japanese origin incarcerated on U.S. soil during World War II.
Defence minister announces nearly $65 million in aid to Ukraine
National Defence Minister Bill Blair says Canada is sending $64.8 million in military aid to Ukraine.
House committee to summon RCMP, ministers over allegations of Indian interference
The head of the RCMP and Canada's ministers of foreign affairs and public safety will be summoned to testify at a House of Commons committee about the bombshell allegations made this week about Indian state-sponsored interference in Canada.
These are the top trending Halloween costumes in Canada, according to Google
According to Google search data, the top Halloween costumes trending in Canada include everything from Taylor Swift for kids to the Joker and Harley Quinn for couples.
Manitoba second province to sign onto federal school food deal
The federal and Manitoba governments have signed a deal to expand food programs.
U.S. to probe Tesla's 'Full Self-Driving' system after pedestrian killed in low visibility conditions
The U.S. government's road safety agency is again investigating Tesla's 'Full Self-Driving' system, this time after getting reports of crashes in low-visibility conditions, including one that killed a pedestrian.