Becoming Santa

Becoming Santa is definitely a feel-good movie. Winner of the Audience Award from this year's South by Southwest film festival, the documentary stars Jack Sanderson and follows his preparations to become Santa Claus for the first time. The film not only shows him getting fitted for a custom Santa suit, going to Santa school, meeting happy and not-so-happy children, and being the guest of honour at a parade but also introduces us to many different Santas and other stakeholders in Santa-world.
It's pretty incredible. Regardless of whether or not you believe that Santa exists, this film emphasizes the human spirit. As the synopsis on the hotdocs site says, the film is "part first-person exposé and part cultural history", but if there was someone who left the screening thinking that there wasn't a little bit of "Santa" within each of us...well, then I would think that their heart is made of coal. And for those of you who don't watch the film, I can tell you that you also have a Santa within you.
"Santa Jack" (I liked how all of the folks we met in the film who were Santas were, well, "Santa-whoever" when not Santa Claus) was in attendance (he was producer and writer) and we were happy to learn a little bit more about the Santa-world. I never really thought of the fact that there would probably be a need for Santa-agencies with Santa-agents!
Although in the film, Jack says that this is a one time experiment, he was happy to report that this season would be his third season in the business.
A great film.

- picture courtesy of www.hotdocs.ca