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Locally-filmed holiday movie release celebrated
Red Carpet Gala
Red carpet 11-4
Filming of a scene for the feature “A Christmas Ornament to Remember” in Riverbank last year featured the main characters, portrayed by Thomas Maden and Hannah Brantley, taking place in a manger as part of the holiday film. The movie will be shown in conjunction with a Red Carpet Gala on Thursday, Nov. 5 at Galaxy Theatres in Riverbank. Photo Contributed

Last winter, the holiday feature “A Christmas Ornament to Remember” was filmed on location across Northern California, featuring several prominent sites in the city of Riverbank. The family-friendly Christmas romance is celebrating its release Thursday, Nov. 5 with a ‘Red Carpet Gala’ at Galaxy Theatres in Riverbank.

Riverbank Mayor Rachel Hernandez played an instrumental role in bringing the gala to life, using her platform to rally local support and celebrate regional filmmaking.

The Red Carpet Gala will kick off on Thursday starting at 6:30 p.m., featuring lead actress Hannah Brantley and director Arvin N. Berner, who will participate in a live audience Q&A following the screening.

“It’s been a great collaboration with the city and everyone who participated,” Berner said. “So many people showed up from Riverbank, and they were so energetic.”

Seats for the Red Carpet Gala are full, but due to overwhelming local demand, two additional public theatrical screenings have been added at Galaxy Theatres in Riverbank: Thursday, Nov. 5 at 10:15 p.m. and Friday, Nov. 6 at 7:15 p.m.

Both Brantley and Berner will make special appearances at these additional screenings.

“It was such a wonderful experience and a blessing directing this movie,” Berner said. “I’m looking forward to sharing it with everyone.”

Tickets for those additional screenings are available now via the Galaxy Theatres website: https://www.galaxytheatres.com/movie/Riverbank/A-CHRISTMAS-ORNAMENT-TO-REMEMBER#

For those who can’t make it to the theater or who want to watch the movie again, a special outdoor “Movie in the Park” event will take place at the location where key finale scenes were filmed just one year ago, at the Plaza del Rio in Riverbank. That showing is set for Saturday, Nov. 7 at 5 p.m. and is open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets.

The film will also roll out digitally across multiple streaming platforms this holiday season, including its wide release on Nicely Entertainment’s YouTube channel, Nicely TV.