Cinema prices: concern in Toronto, a favorite city of Americans

“As with many Trump’s statements, the first question that arises is what he was likely,” says Jack Blum, co-founder and managing director of Reel Canada, a non-profit organization that promotes Canadian films.

President Donald Trump announced on Sunday the application of customs duties of 100 % on all films produced outside the United States, without however giving more details on their implementation.

This guy, he is simply incrediblesaid Doug Ford on Monday. There is something new every day with him.

An announcement that sows confusion

Indeed, if the prices imposed by Donald Trump on other Canadian products had been mentioned during his electoral campaign, those he has just added to cinema are, on the other hand, a total surprise.

People don’t know exactly what it meansreacts Leirie Hervouet, director and screenwriter in Toronto. So we are Hangled and at the same time incredulous.

President Trump’s announcement poses to industry players the question of what it means 100 % American production.

There is a whole range of films between those mainly made in the United States, but whose post-production can be carried out in another country, and those entirely made in another countryunderlines Charlie Keil, professor at the Institute of Cinematographic Studies of the University of Toronto.

Taking the example of the film Suicide Squad, A movie with American fundsmore shot in Toronto, with technicians who are Canadianand with Canadian fiscal incentives, Quitterie Hervouet questions: So do you consider it foreign production?

A measure difficult to apply

When does a service cross the border?adds Jack Blum.

On the one hand, it’s a bit like the automotive industry, because everything is completely integratedhe adds. But he notices a major difference.

It is not a question of imposing a customs price on a windshield which crosses the border. The elements and parts of a film are created everywhere and circulate around the world at lightning speed.

Or, Canada provides a lot of services, animation, special effects, all kinds of things that enter an American filmrecalls Mr. Blum.

The country is positioned on the other hand as a favorite destination for filming of American films, with infrastructure of quality comparable to that of the United States et cheaper, According to Professor Keil.

Toronto, a city privileged by Hollywood

And Toronto is one of the most popular Canadian cities in American studios. The Queen City also comes at the top of the list of favorite filming locations for directors in the United States, according to an annual survey of Prodpro.

The films, the series are a lot shot in TorontoIndicates Quitterie Hervouet. We will claim for example that New York is filmed in Toronto; Everything is American can be filmed in Toronto.

An attraction that causes many economic benefits.

Whether Disney, Prime, Warner Brothers or Netflix, this creates 30,000 jobs with an economic impact of 2.6 billion dollarssaid the mayor of Toronto Olivia Chow said on Monday.

According to Film Ontario, a defense of the province’s film industry, the shootings generate between $ 2.5 and $ 3 billion in direct expenditure each year and support 45,000 jobs through a healthy balance between domestic and foreign productions.

In an email at CBC/Radio-Canada, she says she works with the three levels of government for Completely understanding the implications of this announcement.

The union of artists Actra, in a statement, asked in a statement to the federal government of take a position and firmly defend our cultural industries.

What impacts in Canada?

The loss of attraction to Canada could have A devastating effectwarns Charlie Keil.

Production would suffer and jobs would be lost on both sides of the borderwarns Jack Blum, who nevertheless adds not to believe too much in the feasibility of such a measure.

For Hiterie Hervouet, customs duties could impact production budgets, which could have repercussions on the prices that consumer pays.

If the film costs more, the cinemas may increase the prices of their tickets, she says, the same for continuous broadcasting platforms where the films are also broadcast, which could increase the price of their subscriptions.