An annual holiday favourite is hitting close to home for fans of Hallmark Christmas movies in southern Manitoba.

One of the channel's 2020 premieres, called Project Christmas Wish, is being filmed in Carman during the first week of November.

"We haven't had a movie filmed here for a couple of years and so now this is another opportunity for us to showcase our community," said Tyler King, Director of Economic Development. He added it's exciting to be a part of a Hallmark Christmas movie, noting the brand has quite the dedicated following.

Winter/Christmas banners are already up in Carman!

As well, King says residents are eager to see Carman's Christmas spirit in a movie format.

"We have a really nice community setting when it comes to Christmas...and when there's snow and the lights, it's really kind of a magical experience," he said.

Not the first movie to be shot in Carman, King says film makers seem to be particularly drawn the community's downtown core. This is where a majority of the filming for Project Christmas Wish will happen as well, and will include scenes in local businesses and at Ryall Park.

Meantime, the makers of this latest film are looking to get locals involved as well. A casting call has been issued for paid extras, specifically children, teenagers and adults for between one and five days, eight to twelve hours per day.

Project Christmas Wish stars Amanda Schull, most known for her role in the popular tv show, Suits, and actor and producer, Travis Van Winkle. Essentially, the main character, Lucy (Schull), unexpectedly finds her wishes in life and love coming true after granting a little girl's Christmas wish in her role as the town Santa. The movie, an original in Hallmark Channel's Miracles of Christmas series, is set to air in Canada at the end of December.

King says film makers seem to be particularly drawn the community's downtown core, including the historic library building.