Director and star of The Great Turkey Town Miracle, Angus Benfield, was kind enough to answer some questions for Indy Reviews!
Could you please introduce The Great Turkey Town Miracle?
The Great Turkey Town Miracle is based on a true story—well, two true stories merged into one—drawn from the personal lives of writers Joren Christensen and Steve Dini. The character of Connor McCloud is a composite of both Joren and Steve.
The film tells the story of Connor McCloud, a washed-up radio DJ who finds himself recently widowed and out of work. With two daughters to care for and no job to support them, Connor reluctantly accepts a position at a homeless shelter. His first task? To procure 4,000 turkeys for the shelter’s fast-approaching community Thanksgiving dinner. As daunting as it sounds, Connor’s efforts only manage to secure a few hundred turkeys, far short of the goal. On the eve of Thanksgiving, empty-handed and overwhelmed, Connor resists the urge to give up and instead chooses to face the situation head-on, as 4,000 families begin lining up, expecting their turkeys.
You’ve been part of multiple films based on or inspired by true stories – does something about real life stories captivate you?
Yes, true stories are my favorite genre, as they are always inspiring to create, watch, and learn about. They provide insight into other people’s lives and how their struggles and victories relate to your own.
What most drew you to The Great Turkey Town Miracle?
I just love a true underdog story, and the Thanksgiving theme makes it that much more special.
How do you manage directing and starring as the lead in the same film? How does your approach to the two roles differ?
You definitely have to shift gears, but I find that moving quickly and keeping the pace going, though exhausting, can be incredibly rewarding—especially when your cast and crew are keeping up with you. Having a great crew and a talented DP makes all the difference. I was fortunate to have an exceptional team on this production, and thanks to them, we were able to complete the film in just 11 days.
What was the production process like for the film? Did things run smoothly? What challenges or setbacks did you and the team face?
Production was intense due to the fast-paced schedule, but it ran very smoothly thanks to an incredible team. The biggest challenge came when the freezer truck holding the turkeys broke down overnight. As a result, we ended up with a lot of turkeys slowly defrosting during the turkey scene! Our plan was to donate them to a local shelter, but unfortunately, they had defrosted too much by the end and were no longer safe to donate. It was definitely a challenge for the actors, who had to juggle the soggy birds during the scene!
What do you hope people take away from watching The Great Turkey Town Miracle?
To never give up hope—no matter the circumstances. Miracles can and do happen when you step out in faith; sometimes, all it takes is a little belief.
What’s next for you? Do you have anything in the pipeline that we should keep our eyes open for?
I currently have The Christmas Letter and The Keeper available on streaming platforms, and we’re gearing up for our next family film, Gus, which begins filming early next year. More information about these projects can be found on our website: www.lama entertainment.com.
Finally, if you could perform one miracle, what would it be and why?
Good question, but a tough one to answer. If I could perform only one, it would be almost impossible to choose—miracles are something we need every single day.
Huge thanks to Angus for giving us an insight into this wonderful film. Full review below!
Director and star of The Keeper, Angus Benfield directs and stars in a new holiday themed feature: The Great Turkey Town Miracle. Connor McCloud (Benfield) has recently lost his job as a local radio DJ. Being the single parent to two teenage daughters means he must find a new job, sooner rather than later. After scouting the market, seeing what’s out there and deciding that some jobs just simply aren’t for him (take Christmas elf, for example), Connor’s luck finally changes.
Perhaps inspired by an earlier interaction with a homeless man named Ethan, Connor interviews for a job as procurement director for a homeless shelter charity called House of Hope. He joins the team at a particularly busy time as they work towards providing a Thanksgiving meal for 4000 families. Connor is given the behemoth task of procuring 4000 turkeys via donations alone. But with the cost of living making people less likely to donate to charity, Connor has his work cut out for him achieving this goal.
Aside from this main story, the film follows several peripheral narratives that flesh out the story and add some depth. We see Connor still dealing with losing his wife to cancer and watch him struggle as he faces losing a close friend too. His daughter Jamie (Emma Donovan-Mendenhall) is finding her way through school. She comes into her own as a stage manager for the school play, even winning an award. Although this side narrative wasn’t particularly integrated into the main story, it did add some nice colour and character development. The same goes for the romance plot between Connor and Connie (Jessica Rae), which certainly adds some warmth to the film.
With a gently humorous concept, The Great Turkey Town Miracle succeeds in bringing holiday spirit to the screen. The climax of the film is the miracle appearance of the rest of the turkeys. Due to the nature of miracles, this makes the ending did feel somewhat rushed. Some more time could have been spent drawing the peripheral narratives to a close as this would also have contributed to the emotional climax – we’ve grown to known and love the characters throughout the film!
The editing and cinematography is especially engaging, with several montage scenes being used to great effect. Similarly, the musical score adds a great deal to the narrative and really brings everything together. As the director and star of the show, Angus Benfield confidently holds the centre of The Great Turkey Town Miracle. Emma Donovan-Mendenhall as Connor’s daughter, Jamie, is another stand out cast member, engaging the audience in her storyline even with limited screen time. A great ensemble of cast members makes up the town, each bringing something special to the table – especially the mysterious Ethan Magus. Cameron Arnett captivates with his ability to lure audiences in, begging them to pay attention to the things (and people) you might usually choose to ignore.
With all the hallmarks of a Hallmark movie, it’s sure to get you feeling warm and fuzzy. The Great Turkey Town Miracle is available on Amazon.
See the trailer below!