Ann Arbor was the set for three movies premiering at Toronto Film Fest

Wednesday, September 15, 2010 | Source: Concentrate

It's not just what's in Ann Arbor's water that has filmmakers drinking the Tree Town Kool Aid. Ann Arbor-made films are surfacing in some prominent places.

Three of the five Michigan-made movies premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival were shot, at least in part, in Ann Arbor. That's more than any other southeast Michigan municipality, including Detroit. Other local communities also served as filming locations, including Dexter, Chelsea, and Ypsilanti. The reason for this phenomenon includes the variety of locals, ranging from urban to rural, and the overall high quality of life.

"It's also a city where the cast and crew can enjoy themselves when they're not filming," says Michelle Begnoche, spokeswoman for the Michigan Film Office.

The three movies created 687 local jobs and spent more than $33.2 million. They include:

- Conviction, a Tony Goldwyn film about a working mother who puts herself through law school so she can represent her wrongfully convicted brother. The $10.8 million production created 332 jobs and stars Hilary Swank, Sam Rockwell, Juliette Lewis and Minnie Driver.

- Stone, a $14.8 million movie that put 186 local people to work. The film stars Robert De Niro, Ed Norton, and Milla Jovovich, and is directed by John Curran. It's about a convicted arsonist trying to manipulate a parole officer through his beautiful wife.

- Trust is about a teenage girl who is targeted by an online predator. The $7.6 million film employed 169 people and stars Clive Owen, Catherine Keener, Liana Liberato and Viola Davis. It's directed by David Schwimmer.

Source: Michelle Begnoche, spokeswoman for the Michigan Film Office
Writer: Jon Zemke