CAPITAL GAINS:
How Ottawa became the capital of holiday movies

Teri Loretto

Walking down historic Sparks Street in Ottawa, made famous by the assassination of Thomas Darcy Magee in 1868, one is confronted not by angry Fenians but by holiday garlands and Christmas trees, fake snow and bundled-up background performers sweating in the warm spring air. Ah yes, ’tis the season’… for Christmas movies’. Bah humbug! Some might grumble, but these movies have been the gift that keeps on giving for the region.

Sixteen of the more than 30 MOWs shot in Ottawa in 2022 were holiday themed, which contributed $28.5 million to Ottawa’s economy and kept a lot of ACTRA members in cookies and milk. You might think it’s Ottawa’s rather excessive snowfall or the Rideau Canal Skateway that are the draw for these features, but most filming actually takes place during warmer months.

The Ottawa Film Office created a holiday film Bingo card you can play while watching films produced here in the capital.

“Ottawa’s main advantage in attracting Christmas movies, in addition to provincial and federal tax incentives and skilled crew and talent, is its locations,” boasts the Ottawa Film Office. “Historic buildings, romantic courtyards, charming small towns and an assortment of film-friendly businesses all contribute to Ottawa’s growing reputation as a desirable filming destination.” The Film Office is so happy to have these gifts under its production tree that it even created a holiday film Bingo card you can play while watching the films produced here in the capital. Seriously… it’s here.

Predictable? Mostly. Formulaic? Sure. But each film is unique in its approach to the structure.

And come on, admit it. You gotta love ‘em. From bake-offs, to time travel, to drunken letters to Santa that come true, each one has found a way to create the holiday spirit in a film where the endings are always happy. Predictable? Mostly. Formulaic? Sure. But each film is unique in its approach to the structure. Part of the joy of watching one is to see how the writers are going to make it all work without resorting to rehashing old plot lines.

The Christmas Set Up was the first queer Christmas movie broadcast by Lifetime while The Holiday Sitter marked the first time Hallmark featured had a same-sex couple.

The films are diversifying, too, to reach new audience bases and include everyone in the season of family and love. In 2020, Pat Mills directed The Christmas Set Up, the first queer Christmas movie ever broadcast by Lifetime, while The Holiday Sitter, starring Saskatchewan-born ACTRA member George Krissa. marked the first time the Hallmark Network had a same-sex couple at the centre of one of its films. This was not without its controversy from a certain sector of the public, but Hallmark stuck to its wish list and the film was widely successful.

“I’ve watched every made-for-TV movie in 2020. This is the most triumphant,” wrote Patrick Serrano in O, The Oprah Magazine.

There have also been several holiday films that feature all BIPOC casts, some showcasing single parents, others with multiracial couples. So, the holiday film market is reflecting some long-needed changes in the industry too.

These movies… employ hundreds of cast and crew members from the region and across the country.

“Although Ottawa is well known for producing these movies, the crew still gets excited when each new one arrives,” said Brooklin Watson of 1Department Entertainment Services, the company behind many of these movies. They recognize this genre of movies are the driving force behind the recent growth of the local industry, employing hundreds of cast and crew members from the region and across the country. “They are all ‘holiday movies,’ but each presents us with new challenges and encourages our crew to grow and learn new skills. We had to figure out how to film outdoor ice skating [scenes] in the summer and had to work to ensure we were depicting the celebration of Kwanza with informed respect, for example,” said Watson.

“As an actor, I feel I am given the support and freedom to bring the writer’s words to life” says Darlene Cooke.

Actors appreciate them too. “I love when I book a holiday film in Ottawa,” said ACTRA member Darlene Cooke. “I have done several of them in Canada, and my last few films have been produced by Shane Boucher and his incredible team. These films allow the viewer to imagine themselves as the characters portrayed. As an actor, I feel I am given the support and freedom to bring the writer’s words to life. These idyllic relatable films ooze small-town charm and warmth, full of community, family and friendships. When your entire family can watch, laugh, cry and celebrate with one of these films, we actually believe our struggle and growth as a family is honoured with the magic of Christmas and the holiday season.”

These films have been picked up by distributors like W Network, VH1, CTV, Hallmark, Crave and Amazon, among some of the heavy hitters in the industry. It seems everyone is aware these films get watched and want a seat at the buffet table.

I was surprised to find these films really ARE good for you. Medically. No joke.

Doing a bit of reading around this topic, I was surprised to find these films really ARE good for you. Medically. No joke. “There’s a lot of dopamine and oxytocin that gets released in watching these things,” said T. Makana Chock, a researcher of media psychology at the Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communications. “They can be very de-stressing. They make you feel happier.” (1) So, despite being a wee bit too happy and cheesy? We benefit from their positive aspects and from seeing folks happy on the screen. Folks I spoke to on set also said the general feeling when working on these films is pretty happy too. They are fun to work on and the crews and cast are engaged. It’s hard to be a Grinch when the stories are so full of love, compassion and holiday cheer.

These films are here to stay and that is good news for ACTRA members.

And hey, who doesn’t love the holidays? Stay off the naughty list and enjoy the genre. These films are here to stay and that is good news for ACTRA members.

Teri Loretto holds a BA and a MA from the University of Ottawa and is the current Coordinator for the Scriptwriting and Performing Arts programs at Algonquin College in the National Capital. She is a film actor, theatre producer/writer/actor, has produced over a dozen radio plays. She is often seen or heard on the CBC as fill-in host and writer. She is the current VP of ACTRA Ottawa and is working to increase her knowledge of DEIB and Green issues in the industry. She also sits on the local Women’s Committee. She is striving to help make a better, safer industry for the next generation of performers by learning from her mistakes and listening to others. Teri lives on a farm in southern Ottawa with her son, and cat Naboo. She also really loves the holidays.