Ottawa and small towns across the Valley have served as the setting for eleven locally produced holiday TV films for companies such as — Hallmark, the Oprah Winfrey Network, Lifetime Channel, and a local production company 1 Department Entertainment Services. People have asked why Ottawa? The Ottawa Film Office answers that question.
“Contrary to popular belief, Ottawa’s snowy season is not the main draw for the beloved Christmas genre; in fact, the majority of Christmas movies that are filmed here happen in the spring, summer, and early fall. Ottawa’s main advantage in attracting Christmas movies, in addition to provincial and federal tax incentives and skilled crew and talent, are its locations. Historic buildings, romantic courtyards, charming small towns, and an assortment of film-friendly businesses all contribute to Ottawa’s growing reputation as a desirable filming destination.“
When the call goes out requesting extras to appear in a shoot or in various segments of a movie or show, locals from the area often answer the call and get cast for the roles. One Stittsville family will appear in 5 Christmas movies that were shot locally this year and will also appear in the new CBC series ‘Son of a Critch’ that comes out in January, 2022. You’ll have to watch every locally shot holiday film to see if you can spot them.
This list of locally 2021 filmed movies will help you get through the holiday season overflowing with the Christmas spirit. These movies have all been produced in collaboration with the Ottawa Film Office.
Boyfriends of Christmas Past (Ottawa – Byward Market, Sparks Street, Parkdale Market, Hintonburg and Wellington Street) — Leading up to Christmas, marketing executive Lauren is visited by the ghosts of four ex boyfriends. She must learn to open her heart or risk losing her best friend, Nate. Directed by Don McBrearty. Starring Catherine Haena Kim, Raymond Ablack, and Paul Sun-Hyung Lee.
A Chance for Christmas (Mississippi Mills, Almonte-Riverside Inn) — A social media influencer and her manager must re-live Christmas Eve until she can hit enough views and learn to love her imperfect life. Directed by Stefan Brogren. Starring Tori Anderson and Mykee Selkin.
Christmas CEO (Ottawa and Almonte) — A small toy company CEO gets a once in a lifetime offer to merge with a mega toy company but will need her estranged ex-business partner’s signature to seal the deal. What he helps her rediscover will change both of their lives. Directed by Jonathan Wright. Starring Marisol Nichols and Paul Greene.
Royally Wrapped for Christmas (Ottawa – Byward Market, Sparks Street, Knox Presbyterian Church, The Global Centre for Pluralism) — Lindsay Palmer, the NY director of an international charity organization, is called to the Kingdom of Veronia by the royal family who runs the foundation to interview for the job of overseeing the whole operation. As Lindsay is put through the interview process, she ends up finding true love with the prince. Directed by T.W. Peacocke. Starring Jen Lilley and Brenden Fehr.
A Chestnut Family Christmas (Ottawa) — When a talented pastry chef, currently working as a live-in cook, accidentally commits to hosting her family for the holidays, she poses as the wealthy homeowner in order to impress them and to remove the “black sheep” burden she has been carrying her whole life. All seems to be going well, until everyone’s secrets are exposed and relationships begin to unravel. Directed by Roger M. Bobb. Starring Meagan Holder, Brad James, and Jaime M. Callica.
A Sisterly Christmas (Ottawa) — Two sisters, one who loves Christmas and the other who can be the scroogiest of Scrooges, receive an early Christmas gift: an inheritance that takes them on a once-in-a-lifetime luxury holiday vacation. Directed by Jerry LaMothe. Starring Deborah Joy Winans, Lisa Michelle Cornelius, Neil Whitely, and Kyana Teresa.
A Christmas Stray (Ottawa area) — A tightly-wound corporate executive, finds himself hopelessly stranded in a small mountain town on Christmas Eve, unable to shake the adorable stray dog who ran him off the road, and irresistibly drawn to the free-spirited, local veterinarian who is sorely in need of some Christmas magic herself. Directed by Roger M. Bobb. Starring Andra Fuller and Rhyon Nicole Brown.
Under the Christmas Tree (Kanata Centrum, Oakhurst Farm-Ashton) — Marketing whiz Alma Beltran and Christmas tree whisperer Charlie Freemont cross paths when Charlie finds the perfect tree for the Maine Governor’s Holiday Celebration — right in Alma’s back yard. While they initially spar, romantic sparks soon begin to fly between the two women as the enchanting tree and some Christmas fairy dust from the town’s pâtissière extraordinaire bring out the best in them and spark each other to take leaps of faith and fight for love and Christmas magic. Directed by Lise Rose Snow. Starring Elise Bauman, Tattiawna Jones, and Ricki Lake.
Candy Cane Candidate [formerly The Christmas Campaign] (Kemptville, Almonte) — Natural-born leader Julia returns to her hometown of North Falls for Christmas to drown her sorrows in eggnog, cookies, and Yuletide after her recent political campaign for city council ended in a landslide loss. It’s the perfect place for Julia’s holiday escape — until she realizes coming home means running into her old high school rival, Parker, the arrogant know-it-all who beat her in a race for senior class president. Directed by Pat Kiely. Starring Jacky Lai and Jake Epstein.
Although written in 2006, Fatman came out in November 2020 and since Mel Gibson was seen by many in the Ottawa area over the course of filming, we thought movie deserved a mention for this Christmas.
Fatman (Chesterville, Mississippi Mills, Carleton Place, West Carleton-March, Diefenbunker Museum) — A lump of coal is given by Chris Cringle to the wrong kid on the naughty list. In a fit of revenge, the kid hires a hitman to “take care” of the Fatman. Directed by brothers Ian and Eshom Nelms. Starring Mel Gibson, Walton Goggins, and Marianne Jean-Baptiste.
And then there are seasonal Christmas classics that have partially been filmed in Canada, but watched in homes again and again:
The Santa Clause (Toronto, Oakville) — In this 1994 film, Tim Allen’s character, Scott Calvin, accidentally kills Santa and becomes Santa after putting on the red suit. Written by Leo Benvenuti and Steve Rudnick, and Directed by John Pasquin. Starring Tim Allen, Eric Lloyd, Wendy Crewson and Judge Reinhold.
A Christmas Story (Toronto, St. Catharines, Cleveland, Ohio) — In this 1983 classic, nine-year-old Ralphie wanted only one thing that Christmas: a Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model air rifle. Ralphie’s desire is rejected by his mother, his teacher Miss Shields, and even a Santa Claus at Higbee’s department store, all giving him the same warning: “You’ll shoot your eye out.” Directed by Bob Clark. Starring Darren McGavin, Melinda Dillon and Peter Billingsley.
Most of these movies are available on various streaming services, or check your local listings to see when they air.