Arts & Entertainment
Movie About Concord's 'Mr. Christmas' to Be Featured at Film Fest
The California Independent Film Festival runs from Nov. 8 to Nov. 11 and includes a movie about Bruce Mertz, a Concord resident who decorates his home each year with 50,000 lights during the holiday season.
One of Concord's own is the subject of a documentary that will be showing at the 15th Annual California Independent Film Festival (CAIFF) this weekend.
Bruce Mertz has become known as "Mr. Christmas" over the years for his magnificent and ever-growing display of lights at his home in Concord during the holidays.
The movie is described as an "offbeat, touching portrait," which reveals the humble beginnings of a boy who grew up on a farm with no electricity and later lit up a town as "Mr. Christmas." The director, Nick Palmer, is a native Concordian who now lives and works as a screenwriter in Hollywood.
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The upcoming holidays will mark the 34th year Mertz has decorated his home at 5208 Olive Drive in Concord.
"Mr. Christmas" screens on Sunday, Nov. 11 as part of the Kids Program at CAIFF. The first showing is at 11 a.m. at the Rheem Theatre in Moraga and the second showing is at 3:15 p.m. at the Orinda Theatre. A full schedule of events can be found on the CAIFF website. Mertz, aka "Mr. Christmas" himself, is expected to be in attendance.
Find out what's happening in Concordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
A copy of the movie can be bought from MrChristmasMovie.com for $9.99.
Have you seen the "Mr. Christmas" lights in Concord? What do you think of the story being told in movie form? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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