Naman Shrestha
With Max McGuire at the helm, Hallmark’s ‘My Christmas Guide’ is a holiday romantic film that centers upon a recently-turned-blind college professor named Trevor who raises his daughter Annie as a single father. What makes his situation worse is the ongoing construction project at his workplace, posing danger for him due to his visual impairment. Advised to stay away until the project gets completed, Trevor agrees to visit a facility that specializes in training seeing-eye dogs for the blind — Best Friend Dog Guides — upon his daughter’s insistence.
At the facility, Trevor and Annie meet with Peyton who helps them find the perfect guide dog named Max. In the coming days, as Peyton trains Max with Trevor, not only do they bond with each other but the process helps the latter regain his lost confidence. Just when he begins opening up again, the college professor’s trust gets tested and he is forced to get out of his comfort zone. Originally titled ‘Blinded by Christmas Love,’ the romantic movie chronicles the eye-opening journey of the blind protagonist as he spends time with Peyton and Max at different locations, including the facility.
Where Was My Christmas Guide Filmed?
‘My Christmas Guide’ was filmed in Newfoundland and Labrador, particularly in Newfoundland. Principal photography for the Christmas film reportedly got underway in March 2023 and continued for a few weeks, before getting wrapped up by the end of the same month.
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Newfoundland, Newfoundland And Labrador
The production team of ‘My Christmas Guide’ traveled to the island of Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador where the shooting for all the pivotal sequences took place. Located off the eastern coast of the North American mainland, Newfoundland’s vast and versatile locales are featured quite heavily in various scenes as the cast and crew members set up camp in different streets and neighborhoods of the island. Reports suggest that the filming unit of ‘My Christmas Guide’ specifically moved the production of the movie to the city of St. John’s, which is situated on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on Newfoundland.
St. John’s is home to plenty of popular landmarks and attractions, including the brightly colored low-rise heritage buildings in Water Street and Duckworth Street, Cabot Tower, the Basilica-Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, and the Confederation Building, some of which you might be able to spot in the backdrop of a few important scenes. Apart from the Hallmark film, the locales of Newfoundland have been featured in multiple film projects over the years. Some of the notable examples include the likes of ‘Maudie,’ ‘The Dog Lover’s Guide to Dating,’ and ‘Going the Distance.’
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My Christmas Guide Cast
Suffering from Stargardt’s disease and being legally blind, Ben Mahl essays the role of Trevor, the blind college professor in ‘My Christmas Guide.’ Proud to represent low-vision characters on screen, Ben has also been featured in the popular Netflix series ‘You‘ as the blind librarian named Dante. He also stars in ‘The Fly Room,’ ‘Viral Beauty,’ and ‘The Good Wife,’ which is why some of you might find his face familiar. Apart from being an actor, he also serves as an acting teacher in New York City.
On the other hand, the Hallmark movie also features Amber Marshall who plays the character of Peyton, the guide and love interest of Trevor. The Ontario native has proved her range and versatility, in terms of acting, time and again by taking on different kinds of roles over the course of her acting career. For instance, she has been featured in ‘The Christmas Shoes,’ ‘The Elizabeth Smart Story,’ ‘A Heartland Christmas,’ ‘Love in Harmony Valley,’ and ‘Heartland.’ The lead actors are accompanied by other cast members who play supporting yet important roles in the romantic film, including Ava Weiss as Annie, Justin Nurse as Chad, Vox Smith as Sean, Jonathan Valvano as Nathan, and Aidan Kalechstein as a bigger boy.
Read More: Where Was Hallmark’s Where Are You Christmas Filmed? Who is in the Cast?
