Say goodbye to your old holiday flicks because the latest family Christmas film is just around the corner and it could not be any more Kiwi.
Set in New Zealand and shot in Te Muri Bay just north of Auckland, Kiwi Christmas is the brainchild of director Tony Simpson, creator of 2012's Nelson trolley derby film Kiwi Flyer.
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He says filming began early this year after he'd been sitting on the idea for four years.
"It was a low budget film and we had to be resilient with the wild weather conditions - we experienced two cyclones while filming," says Simpson.
The story begins with a Santa played by veteran Finnish actor Kari Vaananen who becomes disillusioned with the materialism of Christmas.
So, he gives up his responsibilities by escaping the North Pole and does a runner to New Zealand.
Two Kiwi kids discover who he is and realise it's up to them to convince him to go back in time for Christmas Eve.
Child actors Sam Clark and Luca Andrews have lead roles in the film, the first time the pair has featured on the big screen.
Kiwi Christmas also features known actors including Sia Trokenheim and Xavier Horan.
The stars say the music is just as good as the acting, with a soundtrack by the Wellington Children's Choir and the New Zealand School of Music Orchestra.
Kiwi Christmas is set to open cinemas nationwide on November 30.
Newshub.
