INTERNATIONAL films being shot in Cape Town is becoming a trend for film-makers, while proving to have a remarkable impact on the City’s economy.

Two of the latest blockbuster films were shot entirely in the Mother City: Safe House opened in cinemas on Friday, while Chronicle opens this week.

Both films showcase the city, not only as a premier film location, but as a destination of choice for potential visitors.

“Shooting films in Cape Town has become a major attraction for overseas film-makers,” says The Cape Film Commission’s Denis Lillie.

“The crews that come here to film leave with a positive image of the city’s scenery, beaches and nature. That information gets passed on throughout Hollywood, making Cape Town very popular.”

Safe House a thriller starring Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds was filmed in its entirety in Cape Town, early last year.

The film was originally destined for a South American city, however, once the producers and director saw what Cape Town’s environment and industry had to offer, the story was adapted to suit it.

According to Grant Pascoe, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Tourism, Events and Marketing, there are a number of factors that makes the City a perfect candidate for international film shoots.

“The Cape Film Studios have been adapted to suit the needs of international film-makers. Various locations were used during the shoots, such as Green Point, which gives the film crew locational advantages because of the setting,” he says.

The City of Cape Town’s Film Permit Office and the Cape Film Commission (CFC) assisted the filmmakers in accessing some of the key locations for the film. Both the City and the CFC have a good understanding of Cape Town and film-making and this knowledge, together with their interaction with various City and Provincial Departments, ensured a seamless shoot.

The two films brought in an estimated R350 million, spent on local hotels, restaurants, shops, catering services and transport, having an enormous impact on the local economy.

“The economic impact of these two films has been quite large. It’s great because it helped to create jobs and utilised skills that aren’t often used in the city. The crew employed local set designers, costume designers, make-up artists, and so forth,” says Lillie.

Safe House premiered in Ireland, and because of the hype around the shooting being done in Cape Town, Lillie had already received an enquiry from the Irish Film Commission, seeking to organise a competition where the winners will get to travel to Cape Town to see the locations where the movie was filmed.

“What’s great about these particular film shoots is that people can clearly see that it is Cape Town, which in turn would help promote our city as a destination for more film shoots and tourist attractions,” says Pascoe.

There has been discussions pending future film shoots in the Mother City, however, information around it is strictly confidential.