Aman Goyal
‘Hope at Christmas’ is a Hallmark Christmas movie that brings novelist Nancy Naigle’s eponymous book to life. The 2018 adaptation tells the heartwarming story of Sydney Ragsdale, a recently divorced woman, and her 8-year-old daughter. Sydney returns to her hometown to spend Christmas at the house she inherited from her grandmother. In her hopes of finding closure and a fresh start, she begins spending time at a bookstore she loved in her childhood. It is here that Sydney meets Mac, a charming schoolteacher who is also a widower.
While their initial encounter is filled with caution and hesitation, they become steady in each other’s lives. Mac helps her rediscover the joy and warmth of community and the magic of the holiday season while healing the emotional scars from his past. Directed by Alex Wright, ‘Hope at Christmas’ pushes the pair closer with the assistance of an enchanting holiday atmosphere. The locations play an equally crucial role in this Hallmark Mystery Series venture, sparking mutual affection between Sydney and Mac and influencing them to embrace their second chance.
Hope at Christmas Filming Locations
‘Hope at Christmas’ was filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia. Principal photography began on September 4, 2018, and after three weeks of filming, wrapped on September 24. The location management team, led by David S. Fullerton, Daniel Robichaud, and Kerry Pearson, conducted an extensive search to complement the narrative with natural visuals.
Vancouver, British Columbia
The movie was shot in a wide range of areas surrounding the Metro Vancouver Regional District. Richmond, a city near Vancouver in the province’s Lower Mainland, served as the main site. The neighborhood of Steveston on Lulu Island provided the backdrop for the crucial Christmas tree decoration competition sequence. Production designer Rosaura Lezama handled these festivities to directly influence the motivations of the lead characters. Set decorator Bonnie Smith paid homage to Nancy Naigle, the author of the source material, by featuring her name on top of the all-book Christmas tree.
The natural surroundings, national parks, and lakes within the mountainous island elevated the movie from a textbook romance to a full-fledged adventure of life. As Sydney and Mac embark on resolving the central mystery — a sign from the universe — they keep encountering unexpected scenarios. More iconic sites the pair visit include the Brandywine Falls Provincial Park in Whistler, near Squamish-Lillooet. The production scouts thoroughly researched the province and visually adapted the characters’ approach, letting the world decide, laying one hint after another in front of them.
The duo explores a major share of the breathtaking landscapes of the province, particularly Joffre Lakes Provincial Park on Duffey Lake Road, Mount Currie, as well as the Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge at 3663 Park Road in North Vancouver. Additionally, Langley, another municipality in Greater Vancouver, was utilized by the producing crew, as were Big Cedar & Kennedy Falls. In a featurette, actor Ryan Paevey discussed how parts of the story in ‘Hope at Christmas’ parallel his life growing up amidst the beaches and hills of California, including tourists stopping by to witness the filming.
Hope at Christmas Cast
Scottie Thompson leads the star cast of ‘Hope at Christmas’ as the single mother, Sydney Ragsdale. Thompson’s career includes numerous roles in long-running investigation dramas, ranging from ‘NCIS,’ ‘Law & Order,’ and ‘CSI: Miami’ to ‘Bones’ and ‘Castle.’ Her more prominent appearances include the television adaptation of ‘12 Monkeys,’ as well as the indie movies ‘Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda,’ ‘Limbo,’ and ‘Epiphany.’ Ryan Paevey stars opposite Thompson as Mac. The actor began his career by featuring in music videos of Robin Thicke and Toni Braxton before landing the recurring role of Nathan West in ABC’s ‘General Hospital.’ Paevey also has an impressive presence in Hallmark’s holiday film roster. Some of his many TV movies for the network include ‘Under the Christmas Sky,’ ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart,’ ‘Fourth Down and Love,’ and ‘Two Tickets to Paradise.’
Erica Tremblay stars as Sydney’s daughter, RayAnne. You may recognize her from the TV movies ‘Unexpected Grace‘ and ‘Love at Sunset Terrace.’ She also plays a younger version of Sydney Lemmon’s character, Ana Helstrom, in ‘Helstrom.’ Among the supporting cast are Colleen Winton as Bea Peabody, Jan Bos as Mayor Gray, Juliana Wimbles as Diane, Chris Shields as Lou, Dakota Guppy as Sarah, Shelby Armstrong as Hannah, Nelson Wong as Kenny, Katey Hoffman as Susan, Pete Graham as Reverend Oliver, Kasimir Leskard as Todd, Brenda Crichlow as Clare, Janet Glassford as Marnie, and Ramon Terrell as Marvin. Additional roles include Karly Warkentin as a passerby, Emmett Lee Stang as Christophe, and Sherise Graham as a woman in the store. Debutant actress Malia Baker appears uncredited as Malia Weir, while Ian Hawes and Yorkie Joaquin also make uncredited appearances as townsfolks, along with writer Nancy Naigle.
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