VANAPAG, MB
The early snowfall in southern Manitoba this week spurred on the production of more than 100 Hallmark Christmas movies, all filmed in rapid order before the snow melts again.
“As soon as we saw the forecast, we jumped into action,” said Hallmark movie director Ted Sawatzky. “We filmed Anne of Green Christmas, The Wizard of Christmas and Guess Who’s Coming for Christmas all in one morning. Plus Citizen Christmas and Four Christmases and a Funeral in the afternoon.”
The crew wrote, directed, and edited the films all while the snow kept falling in southern Manitoba.
“Hallmark Christmas movies are at least 60% of our economy these days,” said Premier Wab Kinew. “If we could get snow all 12 months of the year … rather than just 11 … maybe we’d finally be a ‘have’ province like Alberta.”
Other films quickly churned out this weekend while the snow fell include No Country for Old Christmas, Brokeback Christmas, and One Flew Over the Christmas Nest.