By Lindsey Bahr, AP Film Writer
Filmmaker Dana Nachman wanted to make a documentary about the United States Postal Service's Operation Santa program for years, but it never seemed like the right time. Then in 2018 she got up some courage and decided to cold email the USPS press office.
They responded immediately and agreed to give her and a film crew unprecedented access to the inner workings of this charitable program. But there was one big rule: Don't ruin Christmas for kids.
Every year, hundreds of thousands of letters to Santa go through the USPS system, asking for everything from toys to food. The program, which has been running in some form for over 107 years, takes letters from kids in need, matches them up with donors and helps make Christmas wishes come true.
"Dear Santa," out Dec. 4 from IFC Films, takes viewers inside the program showing the kids writing the letters, the postal workers who sort and categorize them (Santa's helpers) and the adoptees who go out and purchase the gifts they ask for.
"I think a lot of people don't know it exists," Nachman said. "I didn't!"
She and her team began filming last year and had only the couple of weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas to shoot. They had a couple of parameters: She wanted a diversity of locations (cosmopolitan, rural and everything in between) and to focus on what the postal service calls "special requests," which could be anything from heat to a medical procedure. In other words, they're wishes that don't necessarily fit in a box.
"I wasn't so much interested in the kids asking for toys and iPhones and, believe me, there are a lot," Nachman said. "We could have done an entire film on people who just wanted food or mattresses."
With Santa's helpers knowing what they were looking for, when a special request came through that they thought might work, they would send it off to Nachman who would peruse and consider. Sometimes there were a few, sometimes 20, sometimes 50. To protect the privacy of the families, the postal service had to act as liaison at first. If Nachman liked a letter, the USPS would send an express mail letter to the parents essentially saying if you're interested in participating in this movie, here's the filmmaker's email and phone number.
Then, the waiting game began.
"We just waited by the phone," Nachman said. "It was very stressful. Time was ticking."
They also needed the permission of the adopter to make a perfect match. But calls started coming in and eventually they wound up with more than they could use.
"We wanted to make sure that the film tonally was a shot of poignancy that drives people to act and give and help the world, but also have it be entertaining and fun," Nachman said.
She hopes the film will both help spread the word about the program and inspire people to adopt a letter.
"Once you read them, you won't be able to not do it," she said.
Operation Santa is forging ahead this year even with the pandemic and for the first time it's national and online. Letters will be available online at USPSOperationSanta.com for browsing and adopting starting Dec. 4. Due to COVID-19, the USPS said there will be no in-person adoption.
Those writing letters to Santa, located at 123 Elf Road, North Pole, 88888, should get started too: They need to be postmarked by Dec. 14, but the sooner the better. And don't forget a return address and a stamp.
“Dear Santa” is produced by Chelsea Matter, Brendan Gaul, Christopher Karpenko and Nachman in partnership with UM Studios.
“Heretic” and “Maria” Set As Red Carpet Premieres At AFI Fest
The American Film Institute (AFI) has announced that Heretic, the psychological thriller starring Hugh Grant, and Maria, based on the life of opera singer Maria Callas starring Angelina Jolie, will round out the Red Carpet Premieres section at this year’s AFI Fest. The Heretic Gala Screening will take place on Thursday, October 24, and the Maria Gala Screening will be held on Saturday, October 26. The complete Red Carpet Premieres section includes the world premieres of Music By John Williams, Robert Zemeckis’ Here, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl and Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2. All Red Carpet Premieres will take place at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre. The full lineup for AFI Fest 2024 will be unveiled on October 1.
“At the heart of AFI Fest is an unwavering dedication to celebrating the best in global cinema--together,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI president and CEO. “We look forward to uniting artists and audiences once again to be inspired by the art form in a powerful sense of community.”
Heretic follows two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) who are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (portrayed by Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse. The film is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods and produced by Stacey Sher, Beck, Woods, Julia Glausi and Jeanette Volturno. The film will be released nationwide by A24 on November 8.
Directed by Pablo Larraín, Maria presents a tumultuous and beautiful depiction of one of the world’s most renowned artists and reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days in Paris, as Callas (Jolie)... Read More