7 faith-based movies to watch this Christmas holiday season
'Farmer and The Belle' - Theaters and Streaming
The family Christmas comedy movie “The Farmer and The Belle: Saving Santaland” was released on DVD in November 2020 but received a theatrical release this holiday season.
Upon its release last year, the film spent six weeks on Amazon under "Best Sellers in Romance" for new releases. The faith-based film stayed in the top 10 for six weeks.
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“The Farmer and the Belle” stars Jenn Gotzon (“Frost," "Nixon”), her real-life husband, Jim E. Chandler ("Stranger Things," "MacGyver"), John Schneider, Corbin Bernsen, radio personality Delilah, singer Beckah Shae, Henry Cho and others. The film is produced by Joel Bunkowske, along with Gotzon and Chandler.
Also available on video on demand and DVD, the movie follows a famous New York-based model (Gotzon) who returns to her childhood hometown for the holidays. There, she falls in love with her childhood pen pal, a pig farmer (Chandler) and helps save the town’s beloved Santaland festival.
The uplifting comedic Christmas film is based on Gotzon and Chandler’s real-life love story and highlights the power of faith, love and family.
Gotzon met Chandler while she was working as a fashion model in 2014. She told CP she felt God calling her to create the film sharing their story.
Now in select theaters across the United States, “The Farmer and the Belle” has received rave reviews from moviegoers and theater owners alike. Tickets can be found on the website.
Richard Wolfe, the owner of historical ROXY theatre, told CP that “‘The Farmer and the Belle" brought back people that have been missing due to COVID and others who had not been to the movies in years.
"The comment I heard most often was: ‘I wish they made more movies like this,'" Wolfe said.
The Burlington Capitol Theater, a nonprofit organization in Iowa, added that it was an “absolute joy to bring community together with this inspiring movie along with different groups caroling before each showing and, at the same time, supporting a local small business Christian bookstore, The Word, with their merchandise for sale out in lobby.”
The theatre spokesperson said showing “The Farmer and the Belle” was a “special community holiday event for all!”
“It was a real pleasure having ‘The Farmer and the Belle: Saving Santaland’ play at the Robinson Film Center. It’s a family-friendly movie with a strong message that makes it an ideal Christmas film for the whole family,” a quote from Robinson Film Center in Shreveport, LA shared with CP reads.
“The Farmer and The Belle” executive producer and actress, Leah Rose Fisher, shared about the New York City theatrical debut.
“It was such a special evening that felt like movie magic to be able to walk our beautiful team of horses through Times Square in New York City to arrive for the red carpet premiere of ‘The Farmer and the Belle: Saving Santaland!’ Such a magical memory that I will cherish forever,” Fisher said.
Fisher added that being able to share the movie with friends and family in her hometown at the Robinson Film Center “made it a dream come true!”
There are three products that support “The Farmer and The Belle’s” message of truth of beauty found in having a relationship with God.
There’s a "Beauty Bracelet" that features five charms, each with two statements about the true nature of beauty; a 30-day devotional and study program, titled Divine Beauty: Becoming Beautiful Based on God's Truth, and a children's book that reinforces the film's message, titled Beautiful Mable, written by Mike Nawrocki, a co-creator of "VeggieTales," and illustrated by Sara Jo Floyd.
In June 2021, Gotzon and Chandler announced that their Christian rom-com will have a second installment following its success on Amazon.
Jeannie Ortega Law is a reporter for The Christian Post. Reach her at: jeannie.law@christianpost.com She's also the author of the book, What Is Happening to Me? How to Defeat Your Unseen Enemy Follow her on Twitter: @jlawcp Facebook: JeannieOMusic
