Hallmark "A Heidelberg Holiday"
The Hallmark Channel’s Countdown to Christmas movie, “A Heidelberg Holiday,” premiered on Sunday November 12, at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central. The movie stars Ginna Claire Mason and Frédéric Brossier. If you missed the premiere, you can still catch it. Encores will be airing throughout the Christmas season.
‘A Heidelberg Holiday’ Was Filmed Mostly in the Heidelberg, Germany, Region
Hallmark“A Heidelberg Holiday”
“A Heidelberg Holiday” was filmed on location in the Heidelberg, Germany, region, with the beautiful Heidelberg Castle in the background of many scenes. But some scenes were also filmed in Serbia.
Glass ornament artist Lindsay Designs shared their excitement on Instagram for having been chosen by Hallmark to create the beautiful ornaments you can see in the movie.
“Almost a year ago I was approached by a director at the Hallmark channel to create ’12 Days of Christmas’ themed ornaments for a movie that they were getting ready to film!!” they wrote. “@utpony and I collaborated to create 12 uniquely painted blown glass ornaments. I’m so excited to finally get to share this news! The movie is called A Heidelberg Holiday and will be airing on the Hallmark channel on November 12th! My ornaments will be featured throughout the movie! Be sure to check it out!!! Featured ornaments will be available soon!”
A2Z Filming Location reported that much of the movie was filmed in Germany (as IMDb also confirmed) and that unlike many Christmas movies, this one was filmed in the winter from December 2022 through the end of January.
One of the filming spots was Heidelberg Castle itself, which can be seen in the movie’s trailer. According to the Heidelberg Castle website, it’s known as Heidelberger Schloss in German, and stands as a prominent landmark, where it’s recognized as a significant Renaissance structure. The castle remains partially reconstructed following its demolition in the 17th and 18th centuries. It’s located 260 feet above the northern slopes of the Königstuhl hill and is accessible via an intermediate station on the Heidelberger Bergbahn funicular railway.
Sydney LaFaire shared that she played a small role in the movie when it was filmed in Heidelberg. She was also there for the wrap of the movie, which took place in Belgrade, Serbia.
There’s a lot of authenticity in the movie, including a tradition dating back to 1863, shared director Maclain Nelson.
Jonathan Bennett surprised Mason when he showed up while she was filming.
He shared that he was walking through Heidelberg when he saw filming that looked a lot like a Hallmark movie. That’s when he ran into Mason and other people he knew and couldn’t believe it. He and his husband Jaymes Vaughan now have a cameo in the film.
Fans adored the movie. One reviewer said the leads were adorable and the backdrop in Germany was charming. And fans can’t stop raving about it in public Facebook groups too. One fan called it a “very charming film” and another fan said it was “one of the best so far this season.”
Meet the Cast
Hallmark“A Heidelberg Holiday”
Hallmark’s synopsis reads “Heidi Heidelberg receives the dream opportunity to sell her beautiful, handmade glass ornaments at the prestigious Heidelberg Christmas Market in Germany. While there, she meets Lukas, a local artisan who helps her reconnect with her lost heritage.”
Ginna Claire Mason plays Heidi. According to her bio, she recently concluded a multi-year tenure portraying Glinda in the Broadway production of “Wicked.” Her performance credits also include national tours and Las Vegas productions, including roles in “Newsies,” “Flashdance,” and “Duck Commander Musical.” In regional theater, Mason has showcased her talents in productions such as “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” “Hairspray,” and “Grease.” A Nashville native, she holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Music Theatre from Elon University.
This year, she welcomed a baby girl to her family!
Last year, Mason was seen in “A Holiday Spectacular” starring as Maggie.
Frédéric Brossier is Lukas. According to his bio, he’s based in Germany and was recently featured in the TV series “Die Heiland: Wir sind Anwalt.” His notable TV roles also encompass projects such as “All You Need,” “Der Schiffsarzt,” and “Circle of Life.”
Also starring, according to Hallmark’s press statement, are:
- Nick Wilder (Rudi)
- Rebecca Immanuel (Christina)
- Zoe Moore (Theresa)
- Elliott Woodruff (Dani)
- Dylan Blake Mendoza (Jona)
- Anne Alexander-Sieder (Melanie)
- Nela Bartsch (Oma)
- Tim Williams (Jacob)
- Eric Carter (Mark)
- Sydney Lafaire (Kate)
- Alexander Schubert (Mr. Wiedmann)
- Robert Nickisch (Cab Driver)
- Simon Morzé (Delivery Man)
- Patricia Meeden (Margot)
- Sara Bousiali (Anja)
- Maclain Nelson (Cameron)
- Maša Medić (Mira)
- Aleksandra Medić (Mira)
- Katarina Gojković (Pastor)
- Adam Johnson (Clerk)
If you miss the premiere, you can also catch it on these days:
- Thursday, November 16: 6/5c
- Tuesday, November 21: 10/9c
- Sunday, November 26: 4/3c
- Saturday, December 2: 2a/1c
- Saturday, December 9: 10a/9c
- Wednesday, December 20: 2/1c
- Monday, December 25: 8/7c
READ NEXT: Hallmark’s Full Christmas Lineup for 2023