Films shot in Sonoma County make Good Housekeeping’s ‘Best New Christmas Movies’ list

With the holiday season comes holiday films, and a few of this year’s favorites were filmed right here in Sonoma County.

Good Housekeeping magazine includes three of local movie producer Ali Afshar’s films in its list of “The 15 Best New Christmas Movies in 2022 to Make the Holiday Season Merry and Bright.”

During the past year, Afshar and his movie production company, ESX Entertainment, shot three Christmas movies in Petaluma: “A Hollywood Christmas,” “A Christmas Mystery” and “Holiday Harmony.” All three were released just in time for the holiday season via the streaming service HBO Max.

“All three of our @hbomax movies made the list! Go team @esxentertainment,” Afshar wrote in a post on his Instagram page.

The three films also made Cosmopolitan’s list of 14 best new Christmas movies to watch, ranked alongside “Spirited,” a take on Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” with Ryan Reynolds playing Scrooge; comedy-action thriller “Violent Night”; and the Hallmark Channel’s “A Holiday Spectacular,” about the Rockettes.

Afshar’s “A Hollywood Christmas” is a tale of enemies who become lovers. It follows a Christmas movie director and her unsupportive network executive, making for a lighthearted rom-com. “A Christmas Mystery” tells the story of child-sleuths racing against time to uncover the mystery of the stolen prized possession of their town: the jingle bells. And “Holiday Harmony” focuses on a singer and songwriter’s battle between following her dreams and following her heart.

Local spots that make appearances in Afshar’s holiday movies include the Petaluma Woman’s Club, the Petaluma Historical Library and Museum, The Big Easy jazz club and Lavender BnB Farm.

Afshar is a Casa Grande High School alum who often ventures to Petaluma to shoot his films. His “A California Christmas” in 2020 was the first of his many holiday films and became a hit on Netflix.

You can reach intern Lonnie Hayes at lonnie.hayes@pressdemocrat.com.