Hidalgo receives Film Friendly Texas designation

Gov. Greg Abbott announced on Friday that the city of Hidalgo has been designated as a Film Friendly Texas Certified Community after completing the multi-step training and certification process.

“I thank the Texas Film Commission for helping communities like Hidalgo market their unique appeal and support local job creation through media production,” Abbott said in a news release.

Hidalgo joins Brownsville and Edinburg as the only cities in the Rio Grande Valley to receive the film friendly certification.

The Film Friendly Texas program, which was established in 2007, is a certification and marketing program administered by the Texas Film Commission, or TFC. Cities that are given the designation receive ongoing training and guidance from TFC regarding media industry standards, best practices and how to effectively accommodate media production in their communities, according to the state.

“Earning the Film Friendly Texas Community certification is an exciting milestone for the City of Hidalgo,” Mayor Sergio Coronado said in the release. “It opens new doors for creative industries to discover and showcase the rich culture and unique locations we have to offer.”

A recent example highlighting the economic impact of the program is HBO’s 2023 mini series “Love & Death,” starring Elizabeth Olsen and Jesse Plemons. The production created more than 800 local crew hires, had over 6,400 local cast and extras, invested over $14 million in the local economy due to utilizing over 900 Texas businesses and spent over $4.6 million on location fees as the series filmed for 180 days.

“This certification is a testament to our commitment to welcoming filmmakers and promoting economic growth through the arts,” Coronado said.

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