A new holiday film called Holly Jolly Christmas is set to begin production in Owensboro and Henderson, highlighting local talent, scenery, and one especially festive home. The production company is also encouraging locals to sign up for background roles.
The movie is being produced by Goldenrod Productions, which had a successful 2025 with the release of Bachelor Santa. That film was also shot in Owensboro and went on to have a limited theatrical run across Kentucky, Indiana, Missouri, and Texas, including at the Malco theater in Owensboro.
Jeremy Winton and Kristi Kilday, who are leading the project, said the new movie tells the story of a woman obsessed with Christmas who moves next door to a grumpy psychiatrist — a storyline they described as a female version of What About Bob? The lead character, Holly Jolly, is played by Grace Patterson, who also starred in Bachelor Santa.
“She is Holly Jolly — just joyous and happy and sunshine all the time,” Winton said. “The script almost felt like it was written for her.”
One of the standout locations featured in the film will be the home of Owensboro resident Carter Hoagland, whose elaborate Christmas display has gained recognition in recent years.
Hoagland, who was contacted about the opportunity earlier this month, said he’s honored to have his home featured.
“It feels amazing,” Hoagland said. “I’m honored that they picked my house out of all the amazing houses. I do it for everyone to enjoy it, and this way everyone can enjoy it who has never been able to come see it.”
Though the lights are currently off, the full display is still set up in Hoagland’s yard and will be turned back on for a couple of nights during filming.
“This is the perfect movie to showcase the lights. It perfectly describes me,” he said. “It feels great that all these people who don’t know anything about my display will get to see it in the movie.”
Hoagland added, “It’s amazing that it is so local. I know there will be a lot of good places featured in this film.”
The production team has applied for funding through the Kentucky Entertainment Incentive program and expects to begin filming immediately after approval, with a start date as early as Jan. 30. The shoot will last approximately two to three weeks, followed by a months-long post-production process.
In addition to filming in Hoagland’s neighborhood, key scenes will be shot on Main Street in Henderson, which Kilday said seemed tailor-made for the script.
“It’s like the script was written after someone walked down Henderson’s strip and saw the exact offices that we needed,” she said.
Background roles and minor speaking parts will be cast through Actors Access, and Winton encouraged local residents to sign up.
“We want to cast as locally as possible,” he said. “There are a lot of townspeople parts, and we’d love to fill those with locals.”
This is one of several upcoming projects from Goldenrod and the Owensboro Soundstage, which is also hosting a horror film in Franklin and recently wrapped another vertical in Oak Grove.
Winton said the economic impact of these projects can be significant, as they bring in cast and crew who stay in local hotels, eat at local restaurants, and often return for future shoots.
The team is also preparing a new sitcom pilot inspired by Magic: The Gathering. That project may include scenes at local game stores such as Big Bang in Owensboro, and the producers hinted they will again be casting local talent.
While Christmas movies have been a major focus of their recent work, Winton and Kilday said their broader mission is to promote uplifting stories that can be enjoyed by the entire family.
“Life is hard, and I think we want to feel that joy that comes with simple, feel-good stories,” Kilday said. “There’s a reason these movies stick around — people love them, and they want to share that experience with their families.”
Goldenrod’s Bachelor Santa will return to audiences during the 2026 holiday season when it hits a streaming platform, following a required 90-day window after its theatrical release.
