Harsh Vardhan
There is a new addition to Hallmark’s growing slate for the holiday season! The network has ordered a television film titled ‘Trivially True Christmas.’ The project will enter production on June 14 in eastern Connecticut. Marlo Hunter is directing this project based on a script written by Christine Garver and Stephanie Jackson.
The plot revolves around an elite university in Vermont, where students leave for winter break, and locals and faculty eagerly anticipate the annual Christmas Bar Trivia Tournament. Celeste, a meticulous astronomy professor, finds joy in this event as it merges the magic of Christmas with her love for knowing the right answers. However, when her teammate drops out for a lecture tour in Asia, Celeste’s team reluctantly includes Max, the football team’s lively new offensive coordinator.
Initially in the narrative, Celeste views Max as a grown-up class clown, though his sports trivia expertise proves valuable. As they navigate scavenger hunts, decorate the international house with Christmas lights, bake cookies, and advance in the tournament, their initial clashes turn into mutual appreciation. Max’s enthusiasm, love for Christmas, and comfort with the unknown captivate Celeste. After a romantic wintry night at the campus observatory with Max, Celeste starts to wonder if being open to life’s surprises is more important than knowing the answer to everything.
Hunter most recently directed Hallmark’s ‘Mystic Christmas,’ in which an animal expert, answering a call for help from an old friend, crosses paths with an ex during the holiday season. The filmmaker also directed ‘American Reject,’ which follows Kay, the latest reject from America’s hottest singing competition, POP STAR NOW. After her public elimination, Kay is forced to participate in the network’s “After The Cut” filming and return to her hometown to live with her mother. With no prospects and a cameraman following her every move, she reconnects with her past and ends up participating in the Easter Spectacular at the town fair, discovering that losing may be her only way to win. Hunter has also directed episodes of ‘Disney Television Discovers: Talent Showcase’ and ‘Little Did I Know.’
Garver’s credits include episodes of ‘The Breakup Diaries,’ a show that chronicles the unconventional and inevitable endings of various relationships through an eclectic group of characters. Stephanie Jackson co-wrote the Hallmark movie ‘Christmas in Tahoe,’ which follows Claire, an aspiring talent booker, as she reconnects with her boyfriend after asking him to be the main act at her family’s hotel and casino. Jackson also co-wrote ‘Sweet Pecan Summer‘ and has written episodes of ‘Does This Baby Make Me Look Fat?’ and ‘The Breakup Diaries.’
The Connecticut region has previously served as the filming location for Hallmark’s ‘Two Tickets to Paradise‘ and ‘Taking the Reins.’
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