IFC Films will release Dear Santa, the fanciful and poignant story of Operation Santa, from Dana Nachman the director of Batkid Begins and Pick of the Litter – on December 4th.
Dear Santa shines a light on the 100- year-old Operation Santa Program of the United States Postal Service. Each year, hundreds of thousands of letters to Santa arrive at Post Offices around the country. Through Operation Santa, the United States Postal Service makes it possible for the public to safely adopt these letters and make children’s dreams come true. The film invites audiences along for the magic of this massive endeavor. Traveling the country, much like Santa does on Christmas Eve, the film focuses on select Operation Santa centers: some in metropolitan areas like the massive operation in New York City and others in small towns where the post office is the heart of the community.
The film highlights letters where a child is asking for something poignant, something that goes beyond the common wish for a toy. Santa will explain how he enlists kind-hearted strangers across the country for these special requests while he concentrates on toy making and his demanding delivery schedule. This timeless documentary captures the warmth and spirit of Christmastime through the lens of this great American tradition, provoking audiences throughout the world to ask themselves how they can make the world a better place, one gesture at a time.
OPENS 12/4 IN THEATERS NATIONWIDE INCLUDING ARABI, LA; BOISE, ID; COLUMBUS, OH; FORT WORTH, TX; GREENWOOD VILLAGE, CO; HERKIMER, NY; SCOTTSDALE, AZ; SEDONA, AZ; TULSA, OK; WINCHESTER, VA
Dana Nachman is a veteran documentary filmmaker and former journalist. Her films have received dozens of awards from top film festivals across the U.S. and around the world. Her recent film Pick of the Litter, which she directed with Don Hardy, premiered at the Slamdance Film Festival, was distributed by IFC Films, and was adapted into an original television series for Disney+ that she also co-directed. Her documentary Batkid Begins debuted at Slamdance Film Festival and was distributed by Warner Bros / New Line Cinema. Her film Witch HuntT debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival and her film Love Hate Love debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival. She also directed the documentaries The Human Experiment, Washed Away and the comedies Hooked Up 2.0 and The Final Show. Her television news work earned her multiple Emmy® awards, an Edward R. Murrow Award, and a regional AP award. Nachman is a member of the Directors Guild of America (DGA).