Vancouver as a movie star: does the city ever play itself?

When you're watching films, do you often recognize Vancouver landmarks or scenery, even though the story takes place in other places around the world?

While Vancouver has long held a reputation for being the third-largest film centre in North America, it has also been an actor in numerous films. It has played cities from Seattle, Boston, and San Francisco to places in Eastern Europe, North Korea, and India (and even a rumbling New York City).

The video below, "Vancouver Never Plays Itself", gives a comprehensive overview of Vancouver's numerous roles in films like X-Men and The Interview.

The thing is, there are numerous Canadian films in which Vancouver does play itself. But they're often not as widely seen as the big-budget Hollywood fare shot here.

In fact, in 2011, the Waldorf Hotel ran a series called "Vancouver Sometimes Plays Itself" which screened films which were both shot and set in our city, including Madeleine Is (1971) and Robert Altman's That Cold Day in the Park (1969).

So yes, there are films in which Vancouver plays itself. Sometimes you just have to look a little harder for them though.