Arka Mukhopadhyay
Helmed by David I. Strasser (‘Coyote Creek Christmas‘ and ‘A Very Merry Bridesmaid‘), the festive-themed romance drama ‘Campfire Christmas’ is a blast of a movie. The premise entails Peyton and her eccentric family, who decide to throw a family-themed holiday reunion in a summer camp they own just before selling it. Therefore, while she returns to her roots, romance begins brewing for Peyton and her closest buddies.
A part of Hallmark’s ‘Christmas in July’ line-up, the family romance comedy movie garnered a lot of praise from the media, thanks to its casual subversion of generic holiday movie tropes. Most of the narrative unfolds in and around a dreamy camping ground, making you wonder where ‘Campfire Christmas’ was filmed and who all the cast members are. If the thought has indeed struck you, let us embark upon an investigation.
Campfire Christmas: Where Was it Filmed?
‘Campfire Christmas’ was filmed in its entirety in the province of British Columbia, especially in Victoria. Principal photography for the Hallmark movie commenced in April 2022 and was wrapped up in May of the same year. Veteran cinematographer William McKnight (‘Love in Store,’ ‘The Last Bridesmaid‘) came on board as the director of photography. On the other hand, Trevor Belcourt, the production designer of ‘Love, Classified‘ and ‘The Wedding Veil,’ joined the team as the production designer.
For filmmakers and producers, the Canadian province offers a range of dramatic landscapes, including mountains, lakes, coniferous forests, prairies, and desert badlands. Furthermore, the government lures productions by offering lucrative tax credits for eligible productions. Let us now take you to the specific locations where the Hallmark movie was lensed.
Victoria, British Columbia
The “Camp Evergreen” in ‘Campfire Christmas’ is somewhat fictional, as the production team constructed the scenes elsewhere. While a camp by the name exists in Alberta, the cast and crew shot the scenes in Victoria, the capital of the province of British Columbia. Located on the southern end of Vancouver Island, Victoria is a planned city with abundant scenic greenery. Moreover, old houses of the city flaunt Victorian architecture, reminding one of the metropolis’s colonial past.
Victoria is home to exciting tourist attractions, from the stately Craigdarroch Castle mansion and the gothic Christ Church Cathedral to the vast Butchart Gardens. The greenery, the serenity, and the view make the city one of the region’s tourist hotspots, amassing around 3.5 million overnight visitors annually. Apart from the Hallmark holiday romance, many movies and TV shows like ‘Cold Pursuit,’ ‘Deadpool,’ and ‘Maid‘ have been taped in Victoria.
Campfire Christmas Cast
The movie features several Hallmark veterans, while some promising fresh faces make the journey more enjoyable. Among the central pair, Tori Anderson essays the role of Peyton. You may have seen the actress in many popular television shows like ‘No Tomorrow,’ ‘Blindspot,’ and ‘NCIS: Hawai’i.’ After beginning her career with a small role in ‘The Twilight Zone,’ Anderson has gone on to essay central roles in TV movies like ‘Love Under the Olive Tree‘ and ‘Return to Christmas Creek.’
On the other hand, Corbin Bleu plays Thomas, Peyton’s love interest. Bleu made his mark with the Disney musical drama ‘High School Musical,’ where he portrays Chad Danforth. After beginning his journey with a small role in the TV drama ‘ER,’ he has also gone off to establish a promising career. Taking up other roles in ‘Campfire Christmas’ are Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman (Beckett), Caitlin Stryker (Janice), Matt Hamilton (Dave), Alec Santos (Chris), and Enid-Raye Adams (Mona). Quinten James as Young Dave and Aleksandra Cross as Young Janice also appear.
Read More: Best Hallmark Christmas Movies
