Finding Father Christmas is a 2016 made-for-television Christmas romantic drama film directed by Terry Ingram and starring Erin Krakow and Niall Matter. It is an adaptation of the novels "Finding Father Christmas" and "Engaging Father Christmas" by Robin Jones Gunn. The film was produced by Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, and premiered on their network in the United States on November 13, 2016. A sequel to the film, entitled Engaging Father Christmas premiered on the channel on November 12, 2017.
Video Finding Father Christmas
Plot
Orphaned at a young age, Miranda (Erin Krakow) never knew her father. An unexpected discovery among her mother's belongings leads her to a clue to her father's identity, in the form of an old photograph. Determined to discover more about her past, Miranda sets off to the photo's location - a small town in Vermont. There she meets Ian (Niall Matter), who endeavors to assist her in her quiet attempts to uncover the truth. The welcoming town, her growing romance with Ian and the possibility of impacting the lives of others as well as herself, leave Miranda with difficult choices to make as she begins to learn more.
Maps Finding Father Christmas
Cast
- Erin Krakow as Miranda Chester
- Niall Matter as Ian McAndrick
- Wendie Malick as Margaret Whitcomb
- P. Lynn Johnson as Katherine McAndrick
- Michael Kopsa as Andrew McAndrick
- Jim Thorburn as Edward Whitcomb
- Aliyah O'Brien as Ellie Whitcomb
- Macie Juiles as Julia Whitcomb
- Terence Kelly as Rick Torrance
- Callum Seagram Airlie as Mark Whitcomb
- Jordana Largy as Blair
- Bethany Brown as Annie Jacobs
- Sasha Neuhaus as Young Miranda Chester
- Jessie Fraser as Eve Carson
- Nelson Wong as Dr. Colter
Author Robin Jones Gunn appears as an extra in the film.
Development
Adaptation
Gunn's literary agent was approached in 2011 by a production company looking for Christmas novels to adapt into screenplays. Her agent suggested the novel "Finding Father Christmas". On pitching the story to Hallmark Movies & Mysteries in 2012, it was rejected due its' lack of romance. Gunn's agent then made the suggestion to combine the first novel with parts of its' sequel, "Engaging Father Christmas", as the latter novel featured a romantic plot for its main character. The two novels were reworked into a combined treatment, which was again pitched to the channel in 2013. It was again rejected, but with the possibility of reconsideration if further adaptations were made, in particular relocating the novel from England to North America. Following further adaptations, Hallmark approved the treatment of the novels in 2015, leading to the development of the screenplay. Gunn went on to publish an ebook ("How My Book Became A Movie:A True Story") in 2016, detailing her experiences of the process, from the origins of the novel to the film's production.
Differences from the novel
The film differs significantly from the novel. The setting is moved from England to Vermont, the character of Ian is introduced much earlier in the story and several character names were changed. A new introduction to the story was also written, to introduce important backstory. However, author Robin Jones Gunn felt that "the heart of the story I'd written was still there".
Filming
Filming took place in June 2016, in the city of Abbotsford, British Columbia.
Release
The film premiered on the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel on November 13, 2016. It was subsequently broadcast on the channel a further twenty times in the lead up to Christmas, including broadcast on Christmas Day.
The film was released on DVD in the United States in October 2017.
Soundtrack
A variety of Christmas songs were featured in the film, including two collaborations from songwriters Hal David and John Cacavas.
Reception
At the time of broadcast, the film was both the highest rated and the most watched premier in the network's history, with ratings of 1.56 million viewers.
Sequels
Star Niall Matter talked about the possibility of a sequel to the film, in an interview given in March 2017. This was confirmed by Gunn on Twitter, stating that a potential sequel was being developed.
On May 9, 2017, Hallmark announced eight new Christmas movies, including a sequel to Finding Father Christmas entitled Engaging Father Christmas, which subsequently aired on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries in November 2017. Filming for the sequel took place in British Columbia in June 2017. Erin Krakow and Niall Matter both reprised their roles as Miranda and Ian respectively, as did Wendie Malick as Margaret. The film was directed by David Winning.
In March 2018, a third installment in the series, again starring Krakow and Matter, began filming in Vancouver. The film will be titled Marrying Father Christmas.
References
External links
- Official website
- Finding Father Christmas on IMDb
Source of article : Wikipedia
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