The family-friendly holiday movie Christmas with Felicity, directed by award-winning, Chicago-based filmmaker, Jack C. Newell (Monuments), will premiere on AMC+ Thanksgiving Day, November 25.
While Christmas with Felicity is primarily set in the fictitious Wisconsin town of Aspen Grove, the majority of the film was shot on location in Historic Downtown Long Grove and included over a dozen local businesses and residences as well as Historic Wagner Farm in Glenview and Cutting Hall Performing Arts Center in Palatine with additional scenes filmed at residences in Barrington and Buffalo Grove.
“We were all blown away at how perfect the town of Long Grove was for the filming,” said Newell. “It was like a ready-made town to shoot a Christmas movie in. All of the local people and businesses were so accommodating that it made the whole filming experience very special.”
Director, Newell serves as the Director of Digital Entertainment at The Second City. The film stars Sarah Brooks (NBC’s Chicago Med), Herb Porter (Dog Jack), up-and-comer Saige Chaseley, and a host of other Chicago actors. In fact, nearly the entire cast and crew are from Chicagoland. Performers from local companies In Motion Dance and Lola Bard Carolers also contributed a choreographed dance and Christmas caroling, respectively.
Christmas with Felicity was produced by Very Merry Entertainment, a joint venture between the Illinois-based Throughline Films and Argonaut Entertainment Partners. Throughline partners John W. Bosher and Chris Charles produced the film with Argonaut’s Jonathan Bross and Cara Salmeri serving as executive producers along with Victor Gao, Vanessa Shapiro of Nicely Entertainment, Suzanne C. Johnson, and Long Grove’s own Michael Okun. Post-Production was done at Periscope Post & Audio on the Cinespace lot in Chicago. Nicely Entertainment is handling worldwide distribution and arranged the premiere on AMC+.
“Christmas with Felicity is a nice and wholesome film that our wives, parents, grandparents and even our kids can watch,” said Bosher. “We’re aware of how popular these movies are right now as people look for a positive escape.”
The producers want to continue creating local jobs and bringing holiday cheer to audiences around the world. “This is the first of what we hope to be many Christmas films produced in the Chicago area,” added Charles.
Christmas with Felicity can be streamed exclusively on AMC+ beginning November 25, 2021 and will be released on additional platforms in 2022.
