“Baking Spirits Bright” is definitely a holiday film that stands out and manages to differentiate itself from the usual holiday film.
Click here to watch “Baking Spirits High” on Amazon
TITLE: Baking Spirits High
FILM YEAR: 2021
DURATION: 85 Minutes
COMPANY: Lifetime
Directed by Aubrey Arnason
Written by Alison Spuck McNeeley, Casie Tabanou
Producer: Stephen Sawchuck
Executive Producers: Jason Bailey, Jenni Baynham, Kristofer McNeeley, Vanessa Shapiro
Supervising Producer: Jeremy Stevens
Coordingating Producer: Ken Ornstein
Music by Red Janes
Edited by Jason King
Production Design by Moe Curtin
Set Decoration by Gracey Burnett, Madison Stenner
Costume Design by Oneil Drummond
Starring:
Rekha Sharma as Mira Varma
Dion Johnstone as Brady Phillips
Aadila Dosani as Manisha Varma
Praneet Akilla as Jay Varma
Manoj Sood as Avinash Varma
Nimet Kanji as Vani Varma
Riun Garner as Fin Webber
Ryan S. Williams as Tim Bradbury
Reese Alexander as Trevor Phillips
For day 23 of the Holiday (and sometimes television) marathon, the film I am reviewing today is “Baking Spirits High” which aired on Lifetime.
The holiday film is probably the first holiday telefilm I have seen from Lifetime showcasing an Indian family. So, a thumbs up to Lifetime for continuing to be inclusive when it comes to cultures showcased.
The film is directed by actress Aubry Arnason (“Smallville”) and written by Alison Spuck McNeeley and Casie Tabanou.
The film stars Rekha Sharma (“Battlestar Galactica”, “Alien vs. Predator: Requiem”, “The Core”), Dion Johnstone (“The Core”, “Sweet Magnolias”, “Star Falls”), Aadila Dosani (“Nancy Drew”, “The Good Doctor”, “Joe Pickett”), Praneet Akilla (“Nancy Drew”) and more.
The film revolves around the Varma family, a family known for its holiday fruit cake.
A popular fruitcake, unfortunately business hasn’t done as great these past few years and so, the family has hired a consultant, Brad Phillips (portrayed by Dion Johnstone) to help light spark and make the family fruitcake popular.
For eldest daughter Mira (portrayed by Rekha Sharma), she doesn’t like the fact the family is using their money to pay a consultant but as she works with Brady and the two share a lot of time together, a spark is lit for these two opposites and now they are falling for each other.
Will this relationship last?
As mentioned, I actually am happy to see Lifetime incorporating culture to its holiday telefilms. They showcase LGBTQ but they also have showcased African American, Latino and Asian families/characters. In this case, it may be the first holiday film for Lifetime to showcase an Indian family and you also have a gay couple in the film as well.
For the most part, this is an entertaining holiday film but I have to admit I cringed a little when the main product focused on was the holiday fruitcake. But I have to admit, it has been a long time since I have eaten it. But I do know, that for Christmas holidays, it was one of those things that people threw in as a holiday gift.
I have to admit that it was interesting to see an African American man and an Indian woman. It’s something you really don’t see in society (as some Indian families and communities are super strict) but there are interracial couples featuring a Black men and Indian women that I’ve seen before, but it was interesting to see these characters together in a holiday film. And I again, thumbs up to Lifetime for showcasing an African-American man and an Indian women together.
But overall, “Baking Spirits Bright” is definitely a holiday film that stands out and manages to differentiate itself from the usual holiday film.
