Ordinary Angels is an American faith-based drama film released in 2024, tells the true story of a hairdresser named Sharon who forms a special bond with a widower and his two daughters, one of whom is battling a serious illness.
Directed by Jon Gunn and written by Meg Tilly and Kelly Fremon Craig, the film stars Hilary Swank as Sharon, alongside Alan Ritchson, Nancy Travis, and Tamala Jones.
But where did this inspiring story come to life on screen? Let’s explore its filming locations.
Ordinary Angels Filming Locations
Ordinary Angels was filmed in Winnipeg and Selkirk inside the Manitoba province of Canada, with some additional scenes shot in Albany, New York, over a period of 12 days.
Principal photography of the movie began on March 28, 2022 and wrapped around May 9, 2022. Director Gunn has shared lots of amazing bts moments on his Instagram.
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Winnipeg has many different neighborhoods that can look like other places on camera. The old buildings and houses in Winnipeg are nice for filming.
Its long, snowy winters were great for the winter scenes needed for Ordinary Angels. Winnipeg also has big studio spaces to film inside. It has people with experience working on movie crews.
Filming equipment is available to rent there. The city and province give tax breaks to movie companies to attract them to film there.
Some of the good drama films that were filmed in Winnipeg includes, Argylle, The Santa Summit, Lets meet again on Christmas eve, Twisters, A Widow Seduced, and Holiday Hotline.
Selkirk, Manitoba
Located in the north of Winnipeg, the nearby town of Selkirk was also utilized for filming.
Its quaint, small-town atmosphere and location along the Red River helped in replicating the setting of 1994 Louisville, Kentucky, where the true story took place. Driving scenes depicting the characters’ journey were captured in Selkirk.
Both towns are also located along rivers. Many driving scenes of the characters facing challenges on the road were filmed in Selkirk. Being so close to Winnipeg allowed the crew to work in the peaceful small town while still being near a big city.
Albany, New York
To film city skyline scenes showing large urban areas, the crew went to Albany, the capital city of New York state. Albany’s skyline with its tall skyscrapers was used to capture scenes taking place in major cities during part of the movie.
Albany has served as a filming location for numerous other productions thanks to its mix of modern and historic architecture, such as the films “The Greatest Showman,” “The Other Guys,” “Lolita,” “Angel Heart,” “White House Plumbers“
For those planning to visit the Ordinary Angels filming locations in Manitoba, there are plenty of interesting sites to check out in the surrounding areas:
- Lower Fort Garry (30 minutes north) – An early 19th century fur trading post with brilliant stone gateways and traditional homes to explore.
- Narcisse Snake Dens (2 hours north) – Each spring, thousands of red-sided garter snakes emerge from underground dens here in a natural phenomenon.
- Whiteshell Provincial Park (2 hours east) – With sparkling lakes, boreal forests and Canadian shield rock formations, this vast park draws outdoor enthusiasts year-round.
See Also: Where to watch Ordinary Angels?
Behind The Scenes
With its ability to double for both small-town America and major urban centers, the locations of Winnipeg, Selkirk, and Albany were critical in bringing the inspirational real-life events behind “Ordinary Angels” to the screen.
The extreme cold weather conditions in Winnipeg during filming posed challenges for the production, as director Jon Gunn mentioned working to “create a snowstorm” for the appropriate scenes.
Who’s in the cast of Ordinary Angels?
- Hilary Swank as Sharon Stevens
- Alan Ritchson as Ed Schmitt
- Tamala Jones as Rose
- Nancy Travis as Barbara
- Amy Acker as Theresa
- Dempsey Bryk as Derek
- Drew Powell as Pastor Dave
- Skywalker Hughes as Ashley
- Emily Mitchell as Michelle Schmitt
