Amanda Seigfried as Chloe at Cafe Diplomatico
Even though it’s one of the largest television and film production centres in North America, Toronto rarely plays itself on the big screen and instead often plays a lower budget stand in for New York or Chicago. But the stylish new film, Chloe, from Canadian filmmaker Atom Agoyan attempts to change all that.
The filmmaker was intent on challenging Toronto’s long time stand-in role when he saw the screenplay and set about filming and setting his major studio film here (the original screenplay called for San Francisco). The film, that’s set to open on March 26th and is a remake of the original French flick Nathalie, includes Julianne Moore, Amanda Seigfried and Liam Neeson. Agoyan filmed it with an adoring (and sexy) eye in well-known Toronto locales including the people-watcher’s paradise, Café Diplomatico, and the (Frank Gehry-redesigned) Art Gallery of Ontario. With an opening weekend that will see it screened in nearly every big screen theatre in Toronto, the film’s going to be a blockbuster to the locals eager to see this stylish, fashion-forward and progressive city play itself for once!