Le festival des pères Noël

If you like to watch a movie without over-analyzing the story, or the acting, this movie is worth a watch. With the multitude of movies released over the holidays it is quite apparent that Hallmark is trying to pull in a younger audience, without their traditional formula. The main characters, Jordin, Ava, and Stella are portrayed as 30ish and the storyline is college-aged festivities. This is mostly a fresh approach, 'tho "Never Been Chris'd attempted this venue (less favorably), and even 'tho the three women can't be taken too seriously (some over-acting and over-scripting) their diversity and comraderie works here. Romance is limited to the excitement of the catch, and there's little time given to the depth of any of the characters. In fact, the supporting character of the reindeer (pedalcar driver) and of the love-interest for Stella, were the deepest characters in their short-time onscreen. Shout-out: there's not really a "spirit" of Christmas in this one, more the excitement of friendship and winter-fun...

This may be my second favorite Hallmark holiday romance of 2023 behind the Heidelberg Christmas. Hunter King, Amy Groening, and Stephanie Sy play the three best friends and grade school teachers Jordin, Ava, and Stella. Each of the three is battling their own demons when Jordin convinces them to go with her to the annual Santa Summit event. (I have always wanted to be a fly on the wall during one of those. It looks like a tremendous amount of fun.) Jordin has seen on social media that her ex is dating again, Ava is afraid to tell someone she loves them, and Stella is uninspired teaching English instead of her beloved music due to budget cuts in their school district. Right away at the summit Jordin looses her wallet and meets Liam...the two have an instant connection but get separated before exchanging names or numbers at an even where everyone is dressed like Santa.

Stella meets the cheerful Freddie played by Rodrigo Beilfuss. Freddie keeps cropping up, much to the disgruntled and grumpy Stella's dismay and he keeps trying to drag the Christmas spirit out of her. Meanwhile, all three girls end up talking to a pedal cab driver dressed like Dasher. Ava talks herself into and out of confessing her love and everyone is looking for Jordin's mystery man as they go through all the Santa Summit events like line-dancing, sledding, karaoke, gingerbread house competitions, etc.

I love Benjamin Hollingsworth and have really enjoyed his reformed? Character on Virgin River. He plays Liam who is trying to find his mystery girl, and spend time with his brother by trying to get him to loosen up and put down work for a break.

I loved the supportive friends through this film and I really enjoyed the crazy fun of the Santa Summit. The combo of those two and the romances make this a recommendation from me to romantics, fans of Christmas, grade-school teachers like my mom and fans of Hallmark holiday romances.

Kudos to Hallmark for making a different type of Christmas movie. I'm so tired of the same old plot lines "saving the inn" "saving the family farm" the Royal this, the Royal that... Hallmark movies have become so boring and predictable and I find myself watching less and less with each passing year which is very sad because Christmas is my favorite holiday and watching a good movie always puts me in such a festive mood!! This movie was actually really cute, I loved the friendship between the three girls and how they interacted with each other. It's so awesome when you have a few true friends who you can rely on, have tons of fun with and just be there for each other through life's ups and downs. The movie was upbeat, cute and different - a job well done to all involved in the project!

Jordin and her group of friends are attending "The Santa Summit", an annual celebration in which people go through different venues, celebrating Christmas dressed up as Santa Clause. There she meets a guy (Liam) and they connect immediately, but they end up losing each other in the crowd. So they spend the whole event looking up for the other.

I don't know about you all but I would definitely attend this event with friends and make the most of it. Maybe a bit silly, but such and ingenious idea.

The actors had great chemistry, the whole cast, the secondary storylines were okay too. I wished the main characters had more scenes together but the movie wouldn't have made any sense.

There is a fun cameo halfway through, you blink and you miss it. I would definitely watch a sequel.

Is this a real event somewhere? Everyone wears a Santa suit and wanders around bars and nightspots all over a city, but in the middle of the day?

Anyway, after a meet cute where a guy finds a dropped pocketbook and returns it, he and the girl feel like they've made a connection. Then in a crowded dance floor they get separated.

The guy and his brother spend the rest of the movie on a Hero's Journey quest to find her, coming frustratingly close over and over again.

In the meantime, we get cute or meaningful slice of life scenes to build the characters.

It's not one of the cookie cutter plots, which is a must, and it's quite watchable.