Montréal vs. Toronto. There Can Only Be One.
This might get me cancelled.
But I'm always game for a good fight. I'm typically available for the ring Friday evenings if you want to schedule yourself a good old fashion beating.
Montréal does "it" better than Toronto.
I don't say that lightly. I say it dragging an old grudge behind me like stolen luggage, which, you'll get shortly.
The Grudge
Years ago, on one of my first productions, I parked in Montréal, stepped away for five minutes, and came back to find every piece of equipment gone. Not fumbled. Extracted, in full view of a well-lit bank, with the calm of men who'd clearly done this before.
With a pregnant wife we went to the police. They shrugged. An actual, palms-up, what do you want me to do shrug with that very French turn of the mouth indicating very little care. If you've seen it you know exactly what I'm talking about.
I was a young entrepreneur with everything riding on one shoot, and in under five minutes, I had nothing. I gave the thief a mental slow clap (in the form of tears) for the efficiency and gave the city my cold shoulder for years. Le Frenchies could keep their poutine. I was done.
"I gave the thief a mental slow clap for the efficiency, and gave the city my cold shoulder for years."
Then the Last Year Undid All of It
Six productions in Quebec over 12 months: North American Bikeshare & Scootershare Association, Hunter Engineering Company, Vicwest. Different clients, same undercurrent. A kind of vibe. A kind of je ne sais quoi.
I'd land, brace myself out of habit, and get seduced anyway, by festivals spilling into streets that had no business being that alive on a Tuesday, by food that tasted like someone's grandmother still had opinions, by friendships forged over a pickup game of footy that had no right lasting past one night, but did.
I'll Admit the Sample's Skewed
Every shoot fell in summer when Montréal is doing its best impression of itself. And I happen to be there with some of my closest mates that happen to be also filmmakers. Ask me again in February. But I'm reporting what I lived, and what I lived was a city quietly, repeatedly, unfairly charming.
What I Hoped Toronto Would Be
The truth is, I've largely lost faith in Toronto. So maybe it's not saying much to call Montréal the better of the two. A low bar isn't a compliment. But I've spent enough years in the GTA to still want it to work, and Montreal reminds me of what I hoped Toronto would be (maybe with a bit of romanticized vision). I may not have given up on Toronto. I have, however, forgiven Montréal.
"I may not have given up on Toronto. I have, however, forgiven Montréal."
Which, given where we started, is the closest thing to romance this story's going to get. I gotta say, my French is getting better albeit more Quebec-y.
Thanks for being so cool, Montréal. Even after everything.
— Judah Hernandez Owner & Director, Black & White Media
