MONTREAL – Production of the Canadian-Belgian feature film The Hummingbird Project, set to premiere in theatres across Canada Friday, contributed $15.2 million to the national GDP and generated $22.8 million in economic activity, says a new study released by the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA).
Filmed in Montreal and other communities in Quebec, the project was directed by the Oscar-nominated Kim Nguyen and stars Jesse Eisenberg, Alexander Skarsgård, Salma Hayek and Michael Mando.
According to the study, each dollar of incentives invested in the film by the Quebec government netted $9.83 in economic output and $6.70 in GDP. At the federal level, every tax credit dollar invested returned $23.10 in economic output and contributed $15.47 to the national GDP.
The report also shows that 659 Canadian businesses benefitted from the production of The Hummingbird Project, and 80% were based in the province of Quebec. Nearly 200 jobs were created in Quebec alone.
“This report shows that even before a single ticket is sold, Canadian-made films like The Hummingbird Project generate real economic benefits for the communities where production occurs,” said CMPA president and CEO Reynolds Mastin, in the study’s news release.
“As a Quebec-based producer, it’s personally rewarding to be able to hire locally, benefit local businesses, and ultimately showcase the incredible work of our homegrown talent to the world,” added Item 7’s Pierre Even, producer of The Hummingbird Project.
The Hummingbird Project is an official majority co-production between Canada and Belgium and is distributed in Canada by Elevation Pictures.
