Palm trees on Montreal's Ste-Catherine Street as film crew takes over the Village - Action News
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Palm trees on Montreal's Ste-Catherine Street as film crew takes over the Village

Some exotic foliage is livening up Montreals Ste-Catherine Street in the Village as film crews busily dress the commercial artery up to look like retro San Diego.

Merchants welcome the production as street transformed to look like San Diego

What's with the palm trees in Montreal's Village?

4 months ago
Duration 1:56
It seems to be the worst-kept secret in the city, but Ste-Catherine Street has been turned into retro San Diego for a movie that's currently shooting in Montreal.

Palm trees bearing coconuts are livening up Montreal's Ste-Catherine Street in the Village as film crews busily dress the commercial artery up to look like retro San Diego for a Hollywood feature film.

"Watching them do up all the store signs to make them look very 1950s is very fun," said Francis Gaudreault, who owns Armada, a retail store. "Plus it adds a nice touch to the Village."

Three feature films are being shot in the city currently, including one by Skydance Media. Skydance is behind an upcoming film with Apple Original Films staring Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh.

CBCNews attempted to confirm more information about the production, but a non-disclosure agreement prevents many of those involved from talking about it.

Old cars on street and sign above street
Preparations for the movie shoot were underway on Friday with installation of a sign and old cars. (Valeria Cori-Manocchio/CBC)

The filming is taking place between Panet and Visitation streets, and will be ongoing until May 10.

There will be some intermittent street and store closures during filming, but business owners are being compensated.

busy street
A mix of palm trees, orange cones, detour signs and white box trucks line Ste-Catherine Street in Montreal's Village neighbourhood. (Isaac Olson/CBC)

Notices are hanging on surrounding residences and have been handed out to business owners, warning everybody of a plan that will involve temporary street closures and the elimination of curbside parking in some areas.

Storefronts are being transformed and the plant life is exotic for Canada's climate, but the community is welcoming the production.

sign, people working in background
Signs let passersby know that stores are still open during filming on Ste-Catherine Street East. (Isaac Olson/CBC)

Citizens and business owners alike have been asking if the palm trees can stay, saidGabrielle Rondy, executive director of the local merchants' association, Socit de dveloppement commercial du Village.

Therehas been a full street transformation, with some businesses even shutting down for a week so filming can be done inside, said Rondy.

"It's quite exciting," she said. "It's changed the mood of the neighbourhood."

For the last two weeks, it's all everybody has been talking about, she said.

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5 years ago
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The Quebec Film and Television Council (QFTC) said in a statement that there was a slowdown in filming and production in the province following last year's writer and actor strike in the United States.

The QFTC has been working to attract more projects to the province, the statement says, and this year there are a few in the works.

In March 2024, the Quebec government announced new tax incentives and with that, the QFTC hopes to see more films and TV series in the province, the statement says.

Until then, passersby like Osama Shamalacan enjoy a retrofitted Ste-Catherine Street. He said it has a"real vacation vibe."

Standing in front of a store made to look like an old Kodak camera shop, Christian Harris-Mungo said it's "pretty remarkable, actually, how they have transformed Montreal into San Diego."

With files from Paula Dayan-Perez