Fido: The Okanagan Zombie Movie Invasion

The producer, director, cast and local residents of the Kelowna area were pleased with July's shooting for a new "highly stylized dark horror comedy," Fido.

Fido is produced by Anagram Pictures and will be distributed by Lions Gate Films.

"Among other things," said Vancouver Province film reporter Glen Schaefer, "(Fido) is the biggest independent movie ever produced out of Western Canada." The stars are Carrie-Anne Moss (THE MATRIX Trilogy), Billy Connolly (THE LAST SAMURI), Tim Blake Nelson (THE MINORITY REPORT and Lions Gate's "O") and Dylan Baker (SPIDER MAN 2).

After spending six months scouting across the country, Director Andrew Currie says that it was the Okanagan Film Commission that found the right locations needed for Fido.

"The "Wild Zone" burnt area and factory location definitely added value, but finding the neighbourhood was the key- especially as we had scouted the whole province," confirmed producer Mary Anne Waterhouse. "It was the film commission that found it for us, and it was truly the key to our decision to film here."

"We knew this area was a possibility," said Director Andrew Currie." When Mary Anne and I first came to this location we both fell in love with it immediately." Anagram picked Kelowna, stated Waterhouse in April, "because it provided a complete package….specific locations needs that worked, supportive tax incentives, and a growing crew base we could utilize. …we were presented with some pretty compelling reasons to film here."

Fido also shot on numerous streets, parks, schools, cemeteries and ranch locations throughout the Central and North Okanagan.

Other production companies within Canadian and beyond have been calling the Okanagan Film Commission in increased numbers these days, anxious to know more about the area that lured Fido for their entire production.

The production team appreciated the welcoming response from the neighbours impacted by the film activity. "Our entire neighbourhood totally embraced the project, " said Blair, homeowner, after the July shoot, "and everyone on the street felt good about it.."

The Okanagan Film Commission would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those who helped make Fido such a great success!

SHOOTING IN AUGUST 2005:
The Okanagan Hosts Bollywood Feature Film Neal n' Nikki

The Okanagan area is playing host to a large scale Indian film, from famed production company Yash Raj films this August.

Shooting in the Valley is a Bollywood/Hollywood feature film titled Neal N' Nikki . Major locations in the Okanagan include a private residence in Kelowna, and numerous scenics in the South Okanagan including wine country in the South Okanagan. On route to the Okanagan the production shot in Vancouver, Whistler and the Fraser Valley.

Neal N' Nikki stars Indian actor Uday Chopra. Aditya Chopra is the executive producer, Namit Sharma as producer, and Arjun Sablok will direct the project. Director Arjun Sablok was born in British Columbia and has described the story as an Indo-Canadian love story about a boy and a girl from the Okanagan Valley. "I just decided to place it in Canada because it's my home and I always like to bring a shoot up here to Canada", said director Sablok.

The 55 - 80 person crew will include 5-10 local hires and 55 crew members from India, with the remainder coming from Vancouver.

"Our goal is to continue to attract ongoing production to the area," says Okanagan Film Commissioner Sara Shaak. "We're excited about Neal N' Nikki coming here right on the heels of Fido. We've helped them source out a number of their key locations and crew, and we look forward to working with their production team on another successful Okanagan feature film shoot."

Neal N' Nikki will mark one of the largest Bollywood productions to come to British Columbia. The exposure of the valley to this large market will be significant, as millions in Asia and throughout North America will watch the Okanagan Valley as a key star in this film. The Okanagan Film Commission is working hard to attract more productions from this major production centre in the future.