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Happy Holidays

Drama / Romance / Teens / Female Filmmakers

Intended Audience: Teen

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Happy Holidays is the coming of age story of Clarissa Ryder, a young artist, who gets involved in a love triangle and realizes it's not a question of which guy she should be with, but if she can pursue her real love, painting, can she be with either?

This film is the age old story of a young girl struggling to take charge of her future. Talented painter, Clarissa Ryder (Mary Fae Smith), has dreamed of becoming a successful artist her entire life. Encouraged by her two good friends Margaret Lloiend and John Maher, she plans, upon graduating high school to move across country to pursue her dream.

However, close to departure, she falls in love with Thomas Levy (Jeff Whitlatch)an aspiring musician who becomes her muse. During her confusion at college of how to reconcile her passion for art and her love for Thomas, she meets Charles Edmund (Robert Walters), a strong unartistic pillar of support.

"Happy Holidays" chronicles the tumultuous and confusing relationships these five characters are faced with. Going through affairs, engagements, promises and heartbreak; Thomas, Charles, Margaret, John, and most of all, Clarissa must learn how to deal with the dreams of their past along with the realities of her future.


Meet the Filmmaker

  • Directed by S.Mohen
  • Written by S.Mohen
  • Produced by Matthew Stubstad
  • Running Time 88 min
  • Release Date 2008
  • Country United States of America
  • Content Rating Intended Audience: teen
  • Website Happy Holidays

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Directed by S.Mohen

Written by S.Mohen

Produced by Matthew Stubstad

Cast Mary Fae Smith:
Jeff Whitlatch:
Robert Walters:
Brigitte Ashley:
Michael Sasso:
Katharine Stapleton:
Jake Lloyd:
Kelly Miller:
Crew S.Mohen:
Dillon Morris:
Stacey Kattman:
Matthew Stubstad:
Carmen Ramos:
Loren Lieberthal:
Ross Mathy:
Nate Orloff:
Alex Oppenheimer:
Wade Barnett:
Ludwig Goransson:

How far would you go to make your dream come true? This is a question I asked myself every single day while making “Happy Holidays” For whatever crazy reason I decided to go broke at age 19 and make a feature film. Even my school thought it was a ridiculous notion and claimed it was “Too Ambitious”
Despite everyone telling me it was impossible, I decided to make the hugest bet of my life and focus all the time and attention I could into making the film. To be truthful I had no idea what I was doing for most of it. I was so nervous and awestruck the first day of set I forgot to call ‘action.’ But then, there was a great deal to be nervous and awestruck about. There in front of me was Clarissa and Thomas, just how I had envisioned when I wrote them, the set was what I imagined, and I was surrounded by dozens of other crew members willing to give me their free time for ‘Happy Holidays.” At this moment I knew I was doing something right, or absolutely insane (depending on who you talk to)
Just like Clarissa’s life, making the film was hard, it was so hard that it nearly fell apart dozens upon dozens of times, but the important thing is, it didn’t. And there is hope in that. If I can ask you to walk away with anything from this film, it would be the understanding that no matter how terrible everything gets, it will only fall apart as long as you let it.

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