A free showing of the Lifetime movie “Christmas in Mississippi” will be offered at the Marion Theater in December in an effort to increase the likelihood of a movie being made in Marion County.
The film will be shown Dec. 12 at 6 p.m., and the event, Holiday of a Lifetime, has been put together by the Mississippi Library Commission, the Mississippi Film Office, the South Mississippi Regional Library System and the Marion County Development Partnership.
“Christmas in Mississippi” was released in December 2017 and is about a photographer, played by Jana Kramer, returning to her hometown in Gulfport after it was ravaged by a hurricane five years previously.
The Mississippi Film Office is attempting to get more producers to make their films in the state, and part of the reasoning behind the event is to get producers to see that Columbia and Marion County would be great places to film. Columbia is one of four locations in the state chosen to host the event as well as Laurel, Water Valley and Camden.
Marion County Library Branch Manager Mona Swayze consulted with the Mississippi Library Commission, who has an employee who is friends with the producer of the movie, Daniel Lewis. Lewis is reportedly interested in producing another movie in the area.
“We’re hoping that a representative from the production company will be here, too,” Swayze said. “We want to show the film company and the film office what an idyllic location Columbia and Marion County can be for movies. We hope they’ll choose Columbia to at least film part of a movie.”
Swayze added they would also like to showcase Marion Theater with the event and help it increase revenue during the holiday season.
Theater owner Tony Weinedel said he’s excited to host the event.
A question-and-answer session will take place following the screening.
