Shraman Mitra
‘The Great Christmas Switch’ is a heartwarming Christmas movie that revolves around the lives of identical sisters Sophia and Kaelynn. Their lives are poles apart — while Sophia is a single city girl working for a demanding boss, Kaelynn is a mother of two who lives in the Midwest. However, neither seem to appreciate what they have and believe that grass is greener on the other side. So, when given a chance to switch places at Christmastime, they realize that the truth is far from what they believed. Thus, they depend upon a miracle to save the holidays.
Directed by Ernie Barbarash, the film captures the essence of Christmas beautifully. Furthermore, with the narrative being set alternatively in a metropolitan city and a small town, it is astounding to witness the parallels between the Christmas celebrations in both places. Thus, the settings in the film alternate between bright and shimmering city lights and a small cozy town. If this makes you wonder where the movie was shot, we come bearing answers!
The Great Christmas Switch Filming Locations
Principal photography for the movie commenced in July 2021, and the production team managed to wrap up by early August 2021. It is quite fascinating how the production team managed to shoot a winter-set film in the summertime! Now, let’s learn more about the locations used in the movie, shall we?
Ontario, Canada
‘The Great Christmas Switch’ was primarily filmed in the beautiful Canadian province of Ontario. It is a much-preferred filming location as it provides top-notch production facilities. A province in central Canada, Ontario offers the best of both worlds as it is home to some of the biggest cities in the country that are nestled amidst gorgeous natural beauty.
The team for ‘The Great Christmas Switch’ was able to take full advantage of the variety that Ontario offers as the crew could film using urban backdrops and a charming small-town vibe all within close proximity of each other. Most scenes were shot in and around the city of North Bay. The production team decked out the streets with lights and decorations to recreate the Christmas vibe. Besides, with the filming taking place in the summer months, the snow seen in the film was artificially added by the crew. It seems like the cast also shot a few scenes at Sturgeon Falls in Ontario.
From the numerous pictures shared on social media, the cast appeared to have a blast shooting the film, which in turn speaks volumes about Ontario’s popularity as a filming spot. Thus, it is no surprise that the province has also played host to film crews of productions like ‘Locke & Key,’ ‘The Boys,’ and ‘It.’
The Great Christmas Switch Cast
The cast of ‘The Great Christmas Switch’ is led by the brilliant Sarah Lind, who essays both sisters, Sophia and Kaelynn. Lind has several successful roles to her credit, including Jennifer ‘Jen’ MacMahon in ‘Edgemont,’ Sarah Montgomery/Savannah in ‘True Justice,’ and Molly Hartley in ‘The Exorcism of Molly Hartley.’ On the other hand, we get to witness a brilliant performance by Jon McLaren, who plays Jonathan in the film. The actor’s standout roles include Jesse Stanton in ‘Heartland,’ Jeremy in ‘Bottom of the World,’ and Logan in ‘Boyfriends of Christmas Past.’
Additionally, Dillon Casey portrays Patrick in this movie. You may recognize Casey as Detective Blakey in ‘Designated Survivor,’ Brandon in ‘Backpackers,’ and Seth Gage in ‘Another Life.’ Other noteworthy talents in the film include David Kohlsmith (Sebastian), Gabriel Darku (Everett), Charlie Boyle (Charlotte), Kelsey Ruhl (Edie), Moni Ogunsuyi (Megan), and Rob Stewart (James Sabbia). We also see Nicole Huff, Connie Manfredi, and Jim Calarco feature as Cloud, Alex, Tricia, respectively.
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