Lifetime Sets Holiday Slate, Including ‘Miracle in Motor City’ Starring Tia Mowry, Smokey Robinson

Tia Mowry stars in Miracle in Motor City. (Credit: Lifetime)

Lifetime is getting ready for Christmas with its largest holiday movie lineup to date.

The films will feature familiar faces, including Tia Mowry, Smokey Robinson, Kelly Rowland,  Mario Lopez,  Corbin Bleu, Tatyana Ali, Roselyn Sánchez, Mýa, Kirk Franklin and more, the network said in a recent press release.

Mowry will also host a special preview of the holiday slate, with the special premiering Oct. 24 on VOD and on Lifetime Nov. 7 at 10 a.m. ET/PT.

The network’s ‘It’s a Wonderful Lifetime’ programming event will then kick off on Nov. 12, starting with An Ice Wine Christmas starring Roselyn Sánchez  and Lyriq Bent.

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Lifetime also announced 30 new movies will premiere in 30 days beginning Nov. 26 until Christmas Day. A special preview of the holiday films hosted by Tia Mowry will be available on VOD beginning Oct. 24 and will premiere on Lifetime starting Nov. 7 at 10 a.m. ET/PT. Below are details on the films as provided by Lifetime. Overall the network’s 2021 It’s a Wonderful Lifetime slate will feature 35 new movies in total.

An Ice Wine Christmas
Roselyn Sánchez joins Lyriq Bent in the first Lifetime holiday movie of the season. Sánchez stars as wine sommelier Camila who attends an annual Ice Wine Christmas Festival and harvest in New York where she bumps into wine specialist Declan (Bent). They both discover the magic of the season as Camila shares with Declan her passion for Christmas and what an authentic ice wine harvest can bring.

The movie is produced by Cineflix Media in association with Wishing Floor Films. It is executive produced by Danielle von Zerneck, Jeff Vanderwal, Sherri Rufh & Charles Tremayne. Jill Carter directs from a script by Kelly Fullerton. An Ice Wine Christmas premieres Nov. 12 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Lifetime

A Picture Perfect Holiday
In this holiday movie, fashion photographer Gaby Jones (Tatyana Ali) is eager to make a name for herself and land a feature in a fashion magazine. She attends the annual Christmas Photography Retreat by request from her editor and finds out her rental is double booked with wildlife photographer, Sean (Henderson Wade).

As the two fall for each other, their life choices start to get in the way and the two must decide if they’re willing to take a risk in order to share a picture perfect holiday together. The film is produced by HYBRID, LLC  and includes an original song sung by  Ali. A Picture Perfect Holiday premieres Nov. 13 at 8 p.m. ET/PT

Dancing Through the Snow
Colin Lawrence stars as firefighter dad Michael to his 8- year-old daughter, an aspiring ballerina. After a video of them goes viral, Michael becomes the most eligible bachelor in town. Yet his heart belongs to his daughter’s ballet teacher, Olivia (AnnaLynne McCord). Will Michael be able to dance his way into Olivia’s heart?

The movie is produced by Champlain Media. Barbara Fisher, Tom Berry and Gilles Laplante serve as executive producers. Paul Shapiro directs from a script by Adam Rockoff. Dancing Through the Snow premieres Nov. 19 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Merry Liddle Christmas Baby, starring Kelly Rowland, Thomas Cadrot, Latonya Williams, Bresha Webb and Nathan Witte. (Credit: Lifetime)
Lifetime

Merry Liddle Christmas Baby

Jacquie Liddle (Kelly Rowland) and her husband Tyler (Thomas Cadrot) are preparing for the arrival of their first baby. Meanwhile, Jacquie’s sister Treena (Latonya Williams) and her husband Julian (Jaime M. Callica) are thinking about adopting a baby themselves, and spirited, fashionista sister Kiara’s (Bresha Webb) relationship with Chris (Nathan Witte) is heating up.  With Jacquie’s family expanding in ways she could never have expected, the Liddles are headed for a crazy Christmas filled with merry mayhem and lots of love and laughter.

The movie is produced by Liddle Road Productions III Ltd and Charles Cooper. Rowland, Loretha Jones, Tim Weatherspoon and Denielle Jackson serve as executive producers. Allen Lewis and Bianca Versteeg serve as supervising producers. Kelly Fyffe-Marshall directs from a script by Andrea Stevens. Merry Liddle Christmas Baby premieres Nov. 27 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Tia Mowry stars in Miracle in Motor City. (Credit: Lifetime)
Lifetime

Miracle in Motor City

Amber Dupont (Tia Mowry) takes charge of her church’s annual Christmas pageant and inadvertently promises to deliver a special performance by Motown Legend Smokey Robinson. When her best friends secretly enlist Amber’s former flame Eddie (Mark Taylor) to help – the pair reconnect in a quest to find Smokey and convince him to appear. With the clock ticking, family, friends, and superstar Smokey Robinson come together to stage the most special pageant yet.

The movie is produced by Cineflix Media with Mowry, Charles Tremayne, and Jeff Vanderwal serving as executive producers. Alfons Adetuyi directs from a script by Rhonda Baraka. Miracle in Motor City premieres Nov. 28 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

A Christmas Dance Reunion
Successful attorney Lucy Mortimer (Monique Coleman), along with her mother Virginia (Kim Roberts) returns to the Winterleigh Resort to help celebrate the hotel’s final Christmas season. Once there, Lucy is reunited with the owner’s nephew and her childhood Christmas Dance partner, Barrett Brewster (Corbin Bleu). Though the resort has fallen on hard times and has stopped most holiday events, Lucy leads the charge in recreating the beloved Christmas traditions, including the popular Christmas Dance, to bring together new families and new hope to the resort. Now, Lucy must decide if she’s willing to take a risk on love and partner up once more with Barrett for what could be the last Christmas Dance.

The film is produced by Off Camera Entertainment and Brain Power Studio with Stephanie Slack, Margret H. Huddleston and Beth Stevenson as Executive Producers. Megan Henry Herzlinger and Brian Herzlinger serve as writers, and Brian Herzlinger also directs. A Christmas Dance Reunion premieres Dec. 3 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Kirk Franklin’s A Gospel Christmas
When Olivia (Demetria McKinney), a young assistant pastor, gets assigned to be a lead pastor at a new church a month before Christmas, she’s fearful she can’t manage the transition, including getting the choir ready to open the town’s annual Winter Jamboree. Banding together with her new congregation, Olivia discovers a new home for herself, and even finds a little Christmas romance along the way! Featuring a special appearance and songs written and arranged by Franklin.

Kirk Franklin’s A Gospel Christmas is produced by Swirl Films and Big Dreams Entertainment. Executive produced by Franklin and Tracy “Twinkie” Byrd and produced by Leslie Greif, Eric Tomosunas and Ron Robinson. Erica Sutherlin directs a script by Kourtney Richard Kirk Franklin’s A Gospel Christmas premieres Dec. 4 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Lifetime

My Favorite Christmas Melody

Once a promising singer-songwriter, Abby (Mýa) now finds herself writing uninspired jingles for commercials. As she heads home for the holidays, she’s enlisted by the local high school music teacher to help save the school arts program. In the process, Abby rediscovers her voice and regains the confidence to go after her dreams and lets the possibility of love in too.  Rainbow Sun Francks also stars.

The movie is produced by Champlain Media. Lexi Lewis, Barbara Fisher, Tom Berry and Suzanne Chapman serve as executive producers. Michael Kennedy directs from a script by Lauren Balson Carter. Story by Josh Brekhus and Lauren Balson Carter.

My Favorite Christmas Melody premieres Dec. 5 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Holiday in Santa Fe

Casa de Milagro is a family-owned business that makes holiday ornaments and décor, inspired by Mexican Christmas traditions.  Their award-winning designs, created by matriarch Milagro Ortega, are highly sought after each holiday season. Siblings Tony (Mario Lopez) and Magdalena (Aimee Garcia), with help from their dad (Efrain Figueroa), run the shop in Santa Fe, but when their beloved Milagro unexpectedly passes, the family struggles to find its heart. With Milagro gone, Belinda Sawyer (Emeraude Toubia), an executive at one of the largest greeting card and holiday décor chains, sees an opportunity to acquire the company. When sparks fly between Belinda and Tony, Belinda realizes there is more to Casa de Milagro than meets the eye.

The film is executive produced by Lopez, co-produced by Jeff Stearns and produced by Mark Roberts. Jody Margolin Hahn directs from a script by Cristela Alonzo. Holiday in Santa Fe premieres Dec. 10 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Maps and Mistletoe
Emilia Martin (Humberly González), a cartographer of school maps, has plans for a cozy Christmas at home until her boss has a last-minute project for her, designing a novelty treasure map of the North Pole. Emilia decides to seek out the expertise of North Pole explorer Drew Campbell (Ronnie Rowe), who reluctantly agrees to help her. As the two work closely, they discover more than either of them ever expected.

The movie is produced by Christmas Explorer Productions, Inc in association with Johnson Production Group. Executive Producers are Timothy O. Johnson, Andrew C. Erin, and Dawn Wolfrom. Max McGuire directs from a script by W. Stewart. Maps and Mistletoe premieres Dec. 13 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Mistletoe in Montana
Welcome to Paradise Ranch, where city slickers get to be cowboys and cowgirls. Merry (Melissa Joan Hart), who owns the ranch has been unlucky in love, but that’s about to change when a single father, Mark (Duane Henry), and his two kids book the ranch for Christmas week.  Adventure is on the menu, the holiday spirit is everywhere, and love is in the air.

Mistletoe in Montana is produced by Hartbreak Films with Paula Hart and Melissa Joan Hart serving as executive producers. Kellie Martin directs from a script by Don Perez. Mistletoe in Montana premieres Dec. 17 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Under the Christmas Tree
Marketing whiz Alma Beltran (Elise Bauman) and Christmas tree whisperer Charlie Freemont (Tattiawna Jones) cross paths when Charlie finds the perfect tree for the Maine Governor’s Holiday Celebration – right in Alma’s back yard. While they initially spar, romantic sparks soon begin to fly between the two women as the enchanting tree and some Christmas fairy dust from the town’s pâtissière extraordinaire (Ricki Lake) bring out the best in them and spark each other to take leaps of faith and fight for love and Christmas magic.

The film is produced by Neshama Entertainment in association with MarVista Entertainment and Wishing Floor Films. It is executive produced by Danielle von Zerneck, Larry Grimaldi, Hannah Pillemer, Fernando Szew, Suzanne Berger and Arnie Zipursky. Lisa Rose Snow directs from a script by Michael J. Murray. Under the Christmas Tree premieres Dec. 19 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Writing Around the Christmas Tree
Mikaela (Krystal Joy Brown) a successful romance novelist who has had bad luck in love, visits a quaint bed and breakfast for a Christmas writer’s retreat near a snowy lake town each year. Upon arriving, she meets dashing writer, Levi (Curtis Hamilton) who soon convinces Mikaela that she shouldn’t be writing about love, if she doesn’t allow herself to get out and actually experience it.

The movie is produced by The Ninth House and Nicely Entertainment. Vanessa Shapiro executive produces, and Jake Helgren writes and directs. Writing Around the Christmas Tree premieres Dec. 25 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

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