The Christmas Candle

(EchoLight Studios)

The miraculous and the human collide when modern advancements threaten a centuries-old beloved tradition of a sleepy ninth-century British village. Based on best-selling author Max Lucado’s 2006 novella of the same name, The Christmas Candle brings to life a classic tale of the miraculous spirit of Christmas.

In 1890 in the beautiful countryside village of Gladbury, England, villagers cling to the precious legend of the Christmas candle, which holds that an angel who visits the old candlemaker’s shop every 25 years will select one candle for a blessing, promising that whoever lights the chosen candle will receive their heart’s desire. Except now, the advent of electricity threatens the town’s quarter-century tradition.

David Richmond (Hans Matheson), the town’s new young minister, is determined to prove that investing hope in this old way of thinking is folly and puts all his effort into showing the villagers how good deeds and acts of kindness can be miracles in and of themselves.

Starring Samantha Barks (Les Misérables) and Sylvester McCoy (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey) and marking the film debut of Scottish singer Susan Boyle, who shot to worldwide fame on a British television talent show, The Christmas Candle tells the story of a town that discovers the miracles they seek are inside them all—if they work together.

If you’re looking for a new addition to your family’s traditional Christmas fare, look no further. This film for all ages teaches that if you believe, anything is possible and that dreams do come true. —Will Bolden