CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In late 2019, the filmmakers behind the Oscar-winning film “Judas and the Black Messiah” turned Cleveland’s Slavic Village into 1960′s Chicago.
The transformation was so believable, the film’s location managers Bill Garvey and Tim Kanieski took home the award for Outstanding Locations in a Period Feature Film at the recent Location Manager Guild International 2021 Awards.
The film beat out four other films -- “Dreamland,” “Enola Holmes,” “Mank” and “The Trial of the Chicago 7″ -- for the honor.
According to a press release sent by the Greater Cleveland Film Commission, Warner Bros. spent nearly $21 million on “Judas and the Black Messiah.” The movie was shot entirely in Cleveland over parts of three months, employing 118 local crew members and over 3,000 extras. The production worked with 60 local businesses and booked thousands of hotel room nights.
Based on a true story, “Judas and the Black Messiah” is about the betrayal of Black Panther Party Chairman Fred Hampton. Released in February, the movie won two Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actor for Daniel Kaluuya and Best Original Song for “Fight For You” by H.E.R.
In the aftermath of bringing the movie to Cleveland, Garvey was named president of the Greater Cleveland Film Commission in July. He now works full-time promoting the region as a hot spot for film and television production where producers and filmmakers can take advantage of the $40 million annual Ohio Motion Picture Tax Credit.
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