True story of compassion inspires Christmas film

It takes an entire community to make a little boy’s dreams come true in The Heart of Christmas (0-14381-76432-1, $27.97), a heartbreaking yet hopeful film about a family faced with losing a child, giving him one last Christmas in October.

The movie was inspired by the song “One Last Christmas,” written and recorded by singer-songwriter Matthew West who was moved by a true story he received in a letter.

In 2010, West asked his fans to send him their inspiring true stories so he could turn those stories into songs. Among the thousands of submissions he received, there were three separate letters about the Locke family and the community that came together to support them.

“I never thought the song would be made into a movie,” said West, who was nominated this year for a Primetime Emmy Award for Best Original Music and Lyrics for the song.

The Heart of Christmas tells the inspirational story of 2-year-old Dax Locke, whose struggle with Leukemia sparked a worldwide outpouring of support for his family. Despite treatment, the doctors tell Dax’s parents, Austin and Julie Locke, that he will not live to see Christmas Day.

Driven by their faith and determined to give their son one last Christmas, the couple decides to decorate early and celebrate the birth of Jesus.

The Heart of Christmas’ cast includes Candace Cameron Bure (Make It or Break It, Full House), Jeanne Nielson (Faith Like Potatoes), George Newbern (Father of the Bride), Erin Bethea (Fireproof) and West, who is featured in his first film.

Making its debut on GMC in December 2011, the film attracted more than 3.6 million viewers, making it the highest-rated, world-premiere movie in the history of the television network. The Heart of Christmas was released last month by Image Entertainment and is distributed by EMI CMG Distribution.

For more information or to order the 89-minute DVD, go www.emicmgdistribution.com or call 800-877-4443.

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