British filmmaker Andrew Haigh, known for “Weekend” and “Lean on Pete,” told Reuters in Toronto that Canada has the talent, landscapes and production infrastructure to become a world‑class filmmaking hub. He highlighted Alberta’s affordable locations, which stood in for Colorado’s Rocky Mountains in his latest film, A Long Winter, screened at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Alberta offers cost‑effective scenery and tax breaks

Haigh said the decision to shoot in Canada was driven by the high costs of filming in Colorado. “I knew I wanted to set it in Colorado, but it’s basically too expensive to film there. In the end, we went to Canada, and we traveled around Alberta – it is the Rockies… It’s the right kind of environment. And there’s great tax breaks,” he explained.

Funding remains the biggest hurdle

While praising the province’s diverse terrain, Haigh identified financing as the most challenging aspect of the project. “The biggest challenge is always if you’re trying to make a film like this, which is subtle, emotional, complicated,” he said.

Canada’s federal Canada Media Fund provides financial support to local productions, backing projects such as the internationally successful series “Heated Rivalry.” However, Haigh argued that domestic filmmakers still need more robust budgets to create films that can succeed abroad.

Call for stronger domestic support

“What you want to see is a lot of Canadian filmmakers also getting the budgets they need to make their films in Canada that can also go international,” Haigh said. “There’s a lot of very talented filmmakers in Canada.” He urged the government and industry stakeholders to match the country’s success in attracting foreign productions with increased backing for home‑grown talent.

The director added that he would gladly return to Alberta for future projects, underscoring the province’s potential as a cost‑effective, scenic alternative for North American filmmakers.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.