Can a Jew Direct a Christmas Movie?
"I confess, on occasion I felt like a bit of an imposter. Whenever that happened, I just tried to keep in mind the first thing Debra ever taught me about the essence of the holiday: 'just bring joy.'"
By Ross Kagan Marks
I’ll never forget my first Christmas. It was life changing. My girlfriend Debra, now my wonderful wife of 33 years, invited me to her family’s home in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
As a Jew from Chicago’s northern suburbs, I was extremely nervous about the visit. I didn’t know what to expect. Would I fit in? Would I stand out? It turned out to be such a silly anxiety; the love and affection Debra and her family showed me on that day made me realize that the Christmas holiday is a time to embrace and smother your family with love.
After that first one, I was hooked. I now relish December 25th. I look forward to it every year. Yet I am an observant Jew who fasts on Yom Kippur and chomps on Matzah over the seven days of Passover.
This Christmas season, on December 4th to be exact, my first Christmas movie comes out in theaters and will stream on all major platforms. I directed and produced it. In fact, it was the most fun I’ve ever had making a movie, and I’ve made 16 of them. It’s a feel-good holiday rom-com that stars Academy Award nominee Eric Roberts as Santa himself.
It’s called Santa’s Cousin.
Does the fact that I’m Jewish make it any less of a Christmas movie? Does it diminish the film’s message of love and family?
Santa's Cousin tells the story of Colton Wade, a handsome yet unconventional cousin of Santa Claus, who lives in the North Pole and takes care of Santa’s reindeer. He’s having an existential crisis — a very Jewish existential crisis: What does life mean? What’s the point? What is my purpose? These are questions that are explored in detail in Jewish texts and culture and they drive my Christmas movie. Think Phillip Roth meets Charles Dickens.
Colton decides to leave the North Pole to find himself. He goes to a small town in New Mexico to grant a young boy Zack his Christmas wish and help his mother Natalie find her true love (which is really Zack’s real wish).
I treasured making Santa’s Cousin, trying to weave humor and emotion into every scene. I approached the film with the joy of the holiday season that my wife and her family introduced me to, and the warmth of my own Jewish culture. My wife has taught me so much about Christmas, love and family that a good part of me actually felt confident I could direct this thing!
At the same time, I confess, on occasion I felt like a bit of an imposter. When that happened, I tried to keep in mind the lessons Debra impressed upon me about the essence of the holiday: “Just bring joy.” I figured if I did that, everything else would fall into place. If everyone on the set was actually experiencing joy, then that’s what will be reflected on screen — and the audience will experience the very same feeling.
Santa's Cousin is not just a holiday movie; it is a celebration of the values I have learned from my now Jewish wife — that transcend individual cultures. The film draws upon some of my own experiences as a Jewish director, as well as wonderful Jewish holidays like Hanukkah, Sukkot and Purim. Through Colton’s journey, I was able explore my own Jewish identity and it was a great reminder of our universal and fundamental desire to connect with one another.
The lessons I learned making a Christmas movie were invaluable. It was definitely humbling, which is always a good thing. In the face of cultural differences between Judaism and Christianity, I found the common ground and shared values and emotions between the religions. I went into the film with an open mind and a willingness to learn from members of my cast and crew who celebrate Christmas. Collaborating with Christian writers, producers, and actors who share a personal connection to the holiday provided me with vital insights that enabled me to craft a story that honors my own Jewish roots, while infusing it with a unique holiday vibe. I learned the importance of authenticity and multi-cultural representation, recognizing that storytelling is most powerful when it is rooted in genuine understanding and respect for others.
Had my wife and her family not taken me in for Christmas all those years ago, and made me fall in love with the holiday, I don’t think I would have been able to direct a fun, feel-good Christmas movie. Debra reminds me each year when we celebrate Christmas with all of our kids that it is ultimately about one thing: love. So that was the focus for me as director, to make a movie about love. Whether you’re a Jew, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist… Love is all.
This Jew so loved making a Christmas movie that I’m already in pre-production on my next one, which stars a genuine Christmas movie icon, Jen Lilley (she’s made nearly a dozen of them!). It’s called Holiday Hearts. As they say: Coming Christmas, 2025.
But that’s next year. This holiday season, Hanukkah happens to start just a day before Christmas. My entire family can hardly wait!
ROSS MARKS is a writer, producer and director who teaches film at New Mexico State University. He is the founder of the Las Cruces Int’l Film Festival.
From unpacking history and politics to navigating the nuances of family and personal relationships to finding the human angle on sports and entertainment — plus our unsparing take on what’s happening in the Jewish world — the canvas at JEWDICIOUS is limitless! JOIN US!!
