A Christmas film inspired by Hay-on-Wye and filmed in the famous book town now has an official release date.
US entertainment giant Hallmark has announced that "Double Booked for the Holidays" will premiere on November 22 as part of its annual Countdown to Christmas schedule.
The movie was filmed in Hay-on-Wye earlier this year, with the town transformed into a winter wonderland complete with artificial snow, Christmas trees and festive decorations despite filming taking place in June.
Hollywood actress Rachael Leigh Cook, best known for the 1999 hit film She's All That, stars in the lead role alongside Owain Yeoman and Stephen Hagan.
According to Hallmark, the romantic comedy follows identical twins Abigail and Charlie, who travel to Wales after being given the chance to run a bookshop Airbnb called The Story Shoppe in Hay-on-Wye.
The plot centres on the town's reputation as the world's first "town of books", with Abigail captivated by a bestselling series of Regency romance novels set in the area.
A string of mistaken identities, festive romances and a grand Winterton Ball lead to what Hallmark describes as a heartwarming Christmas story.
Locals and visitors watched in June as High Town, Market Street and areas around Hay Castle were given a festive makeover for filming, with shops decorating windows and members of the community appearing as extras.
Emily Daw, director of Hay Markets, previously described the project as "very exciting" and said it would help promote the border town to audiences in the United States.
The production company behind the film had also highlighted Hay's influence on the story, saying: "We are so excited to be coming to Hay – the place that inspired this film."
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Town full of excitement as crew starts filming Christmas movie
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The release is expected to put an international spotlight on the Herefordshire-Powys border town, known worldwide for its independent bookshops and annual literary festival.
"Double Booked for the Holidays" forms part of Hallmark's biggest-ever Countdown to Christmas season, which this year features 34 original festive films.
The Hallmark Channel is available in the UK via Amazon Prime Video.
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