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Father Christmas (film series)

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Father Christmas
Erin Krakow and Niall Matter
as Miranda and Ian
in Finding Father Christmas
Based onFather Christmas series
by Robin Jones Gunn
Screenplay byDavid Golden
Directed byTerry Ingram (1)
David Winning (2,3)
StarringErin Krakow
Niall Matter
Wendie Malick
Country of originUnited States
Canada
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes3 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producersTed Bauman
Libby Beers
Patricia Clifford
ProducerTed Bauman
CinematographyRon Stannett (1)
Anthony C. Metchie (2,3)
Production companiesFather Xmas Films Inc. (1)
Bauman Entertainment Inc. (2,3)
EFC Films Inc. (2)
MFC Films Inc. (3)
Original release
NetworkHallmark Movies & Mysteries
ReleaseNovember 13, 2016 (2016-11-13)
ReleaseNovember 12, 2017 (2017-11-12)
ReleaseNovember 4, 2018 (2018-11-04)

The Father Christmas film series is an American/Canadian trilogy, starring Erin Krakow and Niall Matter, based on the novels of Robin Jones Gunn. The films were originally broadcast in the USA on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, as part of the channels' "Miracles of Christmas" seasonal programming.

The films follow the story of Miranda Chester (Krakow), as she visits the cozy sundown town of Carlton Heath, Vermont, in search of the truth about her parentage. While there she meets, and falls in love with local lawyer/hotelier Ian McKendrick (Matter).

Main cast

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  • A dark grey cell indicates the character was not in the film.
Character Title
Finding Father Christmas Engaging Father Christmas Marrying Father Christmas
Miranda Chester Erin Krakow
Ian McKendrick Niall Matter
Margaret Whitcomb Wendie Malick
Katherine McKendrick P. Lynn Johnson
Andrew McKendrick Michael Kopsa
Peter Whitcomb Jim Thorburn
Ellie Whitcomb Aliyah O'Brien Julia Benson
Julia Whitcomb Macie Juiles Nevis Unipan
Mark Whitcomb Callum Seagram Airlie
Annie Jacobs Bethany Brown

Author Robin Jones Gunn appears as an extra in theatre scenes in both Finding Father Christmas and Engaging Father Christmas.[1][2]

Production and filming

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Adaptation

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Author Robin Jones Gunn, whose novels were adapted for the film series

Gunn's literary agent was approached in 2011[3] 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.[1] 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.[1]

Differences from the novel

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The first 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.[1] A new introduction to the story was also written, to introduce important backstory.[3] However, author Robin Jones Gunn felt that "the heart of the story I'd written was still there".[1]

The second and third films diverged further from the original story, although author Gunn confirmed that the films still drew upon her novels.[4]

Sequels

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David Winning, who directed the second two films in the series

Following the success of the first film,[5] star Niall Matter and author Robin Jones Gunn both confirmed in March 2017 that Hallmark were developing a sequel.[6][7]

On May 9, 2017, Hallmark announced eight new Christmas movies, including a sequel to Finding Father Christmas entitled Engaging Father Christmas.[8] Finding Father Christmas director Terry Ingram was originally approached to direct the sequel, but was unavailable, leading to director David Winning taking the helm.[9] A third film in the series was confirmed by director David Winning[10] and actor Jim Thorburn[9] in interviews given in November 2017.

Filming

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All three films were filmed in and around Vancouver, British Columbia. Filming for the first film took place in June 2016,[11] with some scenes shot in the city of Abbotsford, British Columbia.[12] The second film began production in June 2017[13][14] and the final installment was filmed in March 2018.[15]

Films

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No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1"Finding Father Christmas"Terry IngramRobin Jones Gunn (novel), David Golden (teleplay)November 13, 2016 (2016-11-13)[16]
Orphaned at a young age, Miranda Chester 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, 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.
2"Engaging Father Christmas"David WinningRobin Jones Gunn (novel), David Golden (teleplay)November 12, 2017 (2017-11-12)[17]
Miranda Chester returns to the small town of Carlton Heath to reunite with her newly discovered family, as well as boyfriend Ian. Whilst the Whitcomb's welcome her with open arms, matriarch Margaret, asks that Miranda keep the secret of her parentage between the family, in order to preserve the reputation of the late James Whitcomb. Embracing the traditional Christmas she never had as a child, alongside the prospect of a forthcoming proposal from Ian, Miranda has hopes for a wonderful Christmas. However, the receipt of an anonymous text message, threatening to expose her secret to the whole town, puts everything she has yearned for so deeply, at risk.
3"Marrying Father Christmas"David WinningRobin Jones Gunn (novel), David Golden (teleplay)November 4, 2018 (2018-11-04)[18]
Following their engagement the previous year, Miranda and Ian prepare to tie the knot in Carlton Heath, surrounded by family and friends. Whilst Margaret reconnects with an old friend in a surprising way, Miranda contends with the arrival of a mysterious visitor.

Release

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Finding Father Christmas premiered on the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel on November 13, 2016.[16] It was subsequently broadcast on the channel a further twenty times in the lead up to Christmas, including broadcast on Christmas Day.[5] The film was released on DVD in the United States in October 2017.[19]

Engaging Father Christmas premiered in the United States on the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel on November 12, 2017,[20] shown as a double bill with a rerun of Finding Father Christmas.[17] In Canada, the film was broadcast on Super Channel under the title "A Family for the Holidays", and premiered on November 13, 2017.[21] It premiered in the UK on Sky Cinema on November 28, 2017[22] under the title Winter Wedding. The film was released on DVD in the United States on October 2, 2018.[23]

Marrying Father Christmas, the third film in the series, premiered in the USA on the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel on November 4, 2018, as part of their "Miracles of Christmas" seasonal programming.[18] The film was released on DVD in the United States on October 1, 2019.[24]

Reception

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At the time of broadcast, both Finding Father Christmas and Engaging Father Christmas were the highest rated and the most watched premieres in the network's history,[5][25] with ratings of 1.56 million viewers[26] and 1.84 million viewers respectively.[27] The premiere of Marrying Father Christmas was watched live by 1.44 million viewers.[28]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Gunn, Robin Jones (September 1, 2016). How My Book Became A Movie:A True Story (1st ed.). Robin's Nest Productions, Inc.
  2. ^ Gunn, Robin Jones [@RobinGunn] (June 21, 2017). "Will we get to be extras on #EngagingFatherChristmas ?!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  3. ^ a b Hill, Ruth (November 10, 2016). "Interview With Author Robin Gunn, "Finding Father Christmas"". My Devotional Thoughts. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
  4. ^ Gunn, Robin Jones [@RobinGunn] (July 9, 2017). "Yes. The screenwriter pulled a lot of details from the book #EngagingFatherChristmas He gave the script some great layers. #hallmarkmovie" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  5. ^ a b c "Finding Father Christmas sets Hallmark Movie Records". Front Gate Media. November 28, 2016. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
  6. ^ Spratlin, Christy (March 10, 2017). "When Calls the Heart:Niall Matter on his new role". TV Junkies. Archived from the original on March 12, 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  7. ^ Gunn, Robin Jones [@RobinGunn] (March 18, 2017). "Been working on possible sequel since Nov when #FindingFatherChristmas set Network records.Hopeful! #Hearties @erinkrakow @niallmatter" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  8. ^ Snierson, Dan (May 9, 2017). "Hallmark reveals 8 more Christmas TV movies". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 11, 2017.
  9. ^ a b Hill, Ruth (November 11, 2017). "Interview With Actor Jim Thorburn "Engaging Father Christmas"". My Devotional Thoughts. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
  10. ^ Hill, Ruth (November 11, 2017). "Interview With Director David Winning". My Devotional Thoughts. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
  11. ^ "Countdown to Christmas: Hallmark Movies Filming in Vancouver & British Columbia". "What's Filming". September 15, 2016. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
  12. ^ What's Filming [@WhatsFilming] (June 22, 2016). "Pics from 'Finding Father Christmas' in Abbotsford yesterday thanks to @chefbk11!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  13. ^ "Cocaine Godmother & Engaging Father Christmas Start Filming in Vancouver". "What's Filming". June 5, 2017. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  14. ^ Krakow, Erin [@erinkrakow] (July 1, 2017). "That's a wrap #EngagingFatherChristmas! I'm so grateful for the laughs, hard work, & surprises! @niallmatter @WendieMalick @hallmarkmovie" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  15. ^ "Salvation Season 2 & Marrying Father Christmas Start Filming in Vancouver". "What's Filming". March 7, 2018. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
  16. ^ a b Gunn, Robin Jones (November 9, 2016). "Premier of Finding Father Christmas". RobinGunn.com. Archived from the original on April 27, 2017. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
  17. ^ a b "Hallmark Movies and Mysteries Schedule". Hallmark. Archived from the original on November 1, 2017.
  18. ^ a b Krakow, Erin [@erinkrakow] (July 22, 2018). "#MarryingFatherChristmas coming atcha Nov 4 on @hallmarkmovie! @niallmatter @WendieMalick @plynnj @mikekopsa @JimmyThorburn @Julia_Benson @DirectedByDW" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  19. ^ Gunn, Robin Jones (July 31, 2017). "Engaging Father Christmas:Behind the Scenes". RobinGunn.com. Archived from the original on August 3, 2017. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  20. ^ Snierson, Dan (September 11, 2017). "Hallmark Christmas movies: Premiere dates for 12 new films revealed". "Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
  21. ^ @SuperChannel (November 13, 2017). "@erinkrakow and @niallmatter star in the 🎄❤🎥 A Family for the Holidays (aka Engaging Father Christmas) tonight at 8ET on SC2!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  22. ^ "Sky Cinema Christmas premieres not to miss". FeelChristmassy. November 5, 2017. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  23. ^ "Engaging Father Christmas". Amazon.com. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
  24. ^ "Holiday binge watch: Pre-order Hallmark Christmas movies on DVD (Updated)". lollychristmas.com. September 14, 2019. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  25. ^ Gunn, Robin Jones [@RobinGunn] (November 14, 2017). "Did you hear?! Beautiful Readers! Beloved #Hearties! You did it! #EngagingFatherChristmas ranked at NUMBER 1!!! and is the HIGHEST RATED and MOST WATCHED HMM telecast in network history! We broke the record for last years' #FindingFatherChristmas Wow! Thank you! #HallmarkMovies" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  26. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (November 15, 2016). "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 11.13.2016". ShowBuzzDaily. Archived from the original on November 16, 2016. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
  27. ^ Metcalfe, Mitch (November 15, 2016). "Updated:Showbuzzdaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals:11.13.2016". Show Buzz Daily. Archived from the original on November 16, 2016. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
  28. ^ Metcalfe, Mitch (November 6, 2018). "UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 11.4.2018 - Showbuzz Daily". Show Buzz Daily. Archived from the original on November 7, 2018. Retrieved 21 December 2018.
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