''Santa Hunters'' is a 2014 made-for-television film created for

Nickelodeon Nickelodeon (nicknamed Nick) is an American pay television channel and the flagship property of the Nickelodeon Group, a sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on April 1, 1979, as the first ca ...

. It was directed by Savage Steve Holland, based on a script written by Jamie Nash and produced by Amy Sydorick. The film stars Benjamin Flores Jr., Breanna Yde, Laya DeLeon Hayes, and Mace Coronel as a group of children trying to find evidence to prove the existence of

Santa Claus Santa Claus (also known as Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle or Santa) is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring gifts during the late evening and overnight hours on Chris ...

Plot

All Alex wants to do is prove to the world that Santa exists. He has managed to convince his sister Elizabeth and their cousins Zoey and Richard to setting up cameras throughout their house to capture footage of Santa. Their attempt is successful, but to their horror, they discover that Santa loses a bit of his magic every time he's seen. As Christmas starts to vanish before their eyes, it's up to the children to find and destroy the evidence of Santa. However, they must first contend with their Uncle Charlie's girlfriend Natasha, who is determined to sell the footage of Santa for her own selfish gains.

Cast

* Benjamin Flores Jr. as Alex * Breanna Yde as Zoey, Alex's cousin * Mace Coronel as Richard, Alex's cousin *Laya Hayes as Elizabeth, Alex's sister * Donavon Stinson as Santa * April Telek as Natasha * Kelly Perine as Uncle Charlie *Brenda M. Chrichlow as Mom *Viv Leacock as Dad *BJ Harrison as Grandma * Alvin Sanders as Grandpa * Serge Houde as Principal Welch *Sewit Haile as Leader Girl *Eric Fell as Cop *Rachel Prosch as Tweener Girl *

Bill Kurtis Bill Kurtis (born William Horton Kuretich; September 21, 1940) is a retired American television journalist, television producer, narrator, and news anchor. Kurtis was studying to become a lawyer in the 1960s, when he was asked to fill in on a ...

as Santa Hunters V.O. Narrator (voice)

Production

The principal photography of the movie started on February 18 and ended on March 5, 2014, It was filmed in various cities of British Columbia, Canada.

Reception

Common Sense Media Common Sense Media (CSM) is an American nonprofit organization that reviews and provides ratings for media and technology with the goal of providing information on their suitability for children.

gave the film two stars, as they felt that it was "a fairly mundane addition to a holiday movie repertoire packed with classics and traditional favorites." '' Media Life Magazine'' panned ''Santa Hunters'', criticizing it for its focus on commercialism, stating that "The show’s writer, Jamie Nash, and director, Savage Steve Holland, must never have read or seen “'' How the Grinch Stole Christmas'',” because then they would know that Christmas isn’t just about getting presents and that it means a little bit more." In contrast, the ''

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' gave a more favorable opinion of the movie.

Awards

* Leo Award for Best Youth or Children's Program or Series (2015, won)

References

External links

* {{Savage Steve Holland 2014 television films 2014 films English-language Canadian films 2010s Christmas films 2010s television Christmas films American Christmas films Nickelodeon original films Films shot in Vancouver American children's fantasy films Canadian Christmas films Canadian children's fantasy films Canadian fantasy television films Films directed by Savage Steve Holland 2010s Canadian films 2010s American films Santa Claus in film American fantasy television films