The Blue Sky City is a top destination for global film productions. Released on Nov. 7, 2025, Die My Love was filmed in the Calgary region last year and stars actors Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson.
Filmed in and around Calgary from Aug. to Oct. 2024, the film premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for the Palme d’Or award, eight British Independent Film Awards and a Gotham Independent Film Award.
“Die My Love is the kind of prestige production that the Calgary region consistently attracts and supports. Our combination of competitive incentives, renowned locations and award-winning crews enable filmmakers to bring their stories to life on the big screen,” said Adnaan Wasey, Calgary Film Commissioner at Calgary Economic Development.
Why Die My Love chose the Calgary region
Die My Love scouted locations across the United States and Canada — but Calgary stood out as the best match for director Lynne Ramsay’s vision. Ramsay is best known for the feature films Ratcatcher, Morvern Callar, We Need to Talk About Kevin and You Were Never Really Here.
For Ramsay, this was a combination of the right house in the right landscape, within close distance to country roads and rolling hills.
“Die My Love scouted all over North America, but Lynne fell in love with Alberta,” said Edsel Hilchie, the location manager for Die My Love.
“The farmhouse and surrounding area were exactly what she envisioned — a giant playground for her to create in.”
As a location manager, Hilchie’s role is to present and book filming sites, gather scouts, location crews, contracts and permits. He works with the film’s creative and logistics teams and completes walkthroughs with directors to ensure their concepts can come to life in Alberta.
“We found a vacant farmhouse and renovated it to fit exactly what Lynne wanted for the show. We built the interior and even convinced the landowners not to cut the grass because it gave us the right look,” said Hilchie.
Set locations for Die My Love include Calgary’s Vecova Centre, the Calgary Shrine Event Centre, Sikome Lake in Fish Creek Provincial Park, Didsbury, the Balzac area and Okotoks.
Filmmaker Lynne Ramsay and Jennifer Lawrence. Photo: Kimberly French/MUBI
Alberta’s diverse landscapes and global connectivity attract filmmakers
The Calgary region offers a range of filming environments, from urban cityscapes to mountains, rolling hills and prairies.
This versatility has supported productions across genres, from Western dramas to science fiction, as seen in HBO’s The Last of Us. The series’ season one featured Calgary’s Fourth Avenue flyover, buildings along Stephen Ave, the Calgary International Airport tunnel, Mount Royal University and SAIT.
Hilchie has worked as a location manager for more than 30 years, contributing to major films, including Brokeback Mountain, The Revenant, AMC's Hell on Wheels and Let Him Go starring Kevin Costner.
“Alberta’s topography is unique because we can replicate locations around the world. I’ve scouted for shows set across the United States, in states like Kentucky and Montana, and they’ve been able to film everything in one place — Alberta,” said Hilchie.
Photo: MUBI/Youtube
In addition to the region’s scenery, Calgary’s global connectivity makes it a top choice for international productions and talent seeking quick, convenient access to filming locations.
Hilchie emphasized the importance of Calgary’s airport in location decisions: “When producers are considering the Calgary region, having direct flights to places like Los Angeles is incredibly important. I’ve seen productions choose Calgary because we are better connected than other cities and provinces."
As North America's most connected mid-sized city, Calgary is home to one of Canada’s busiest airports with more than 100 direct flights to global markets.
Viewers can catch glimpses of the region in more upcoming shows, including in the movie adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s Reminders of Him and The Abandons.
Photo: Michelle Faye / Universal Pictures - © Universal Studios
This year, Calgary climbed three spots to place fifth on MovieMaker Magazine’s 2025 list of the Best Places to Live and Work as a Filmmaker in North America.
Discover why Calgary is a destination of choice for local, national and international filmmakers here.