Hallmark film shot in city a U.S. hit

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This article was published 07/12/2016 (3566 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Hallmark Channel movie shot in Winnipeg proved to be a big ratings winner in the U.S. when it aired Saturday night.

But what’s really special about the original TV movie A Dream of Christmas is that, unlike most of the cable movies filmed in the city for American broadcasters, it was written and directed by Winnipeg talent, in addition to featuring wintry Manitoba locales.

A Dream of Christmas, directed by Gary Yates (Seven Times Lucky, High Life) and co-written by Yates and Winnipeg actor Mike Bell, reached more than 5.7 million unduplicated viewers, ranking it the top-rated, ad-supported cable movie of the week, according to industry figures.

The movie, which starred Nikki Deloach and Cindy Williams, was shot in Winnipeg in October with city production company Buffalo Gal Pictures under the title It’s a Wonderful Wife.

“I’m really proud of the movie, its Winnipeg roots, and its success south of the border,” says Yates. “(It was) so warmly embraced by U.S. viewers.”

Yates noted it was “a tad ironic that we had to generate so much fake snow along the way,” referring to the unseasonably warm autumn in which he shot the film. “But no one does snow authenticity better than Winnipeggers.”

— Randall King