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Hope for the Holidays

One man's love for his dying mother leads him to commit the biggest mistake of his life. Now from inside his jail cell with his newfound faith and the hopes of a Christmas miracle, he seeks redemption on Christmas Day .

  • Ricky Borba
    Director
    My Brothers' Crossing
  • Chris Peterson
    Writer
  • Charles Lago
    Producer
    Blood Circus, USA Motel
  • Sally Kirkland
    Key Cast
    "Georgia Petros"
    Anna, JFK, EdTV
  • Doug Hutchison
    Key Cast
    "Sgt. Babbit"
    The Green Mile, X-Files, Lost
  • Robert Lasardo
    Key Cast
    "Mouse Sanchez"
    Nip/Tuck, The Mule, Death Race
  • George Stults
    Key Cast
    "Danny Petros"
    7th Heaven, Christmas with the Andersons, What Lies Above
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 30 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    February 28, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    750,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    RED
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Ricky Borba

Ricky Borba, a Sacramento resident for 11 years, having been born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, has been involved with film and television in one way or another, for the last 30 years. His feature‐film directorial debut, The Talking Tree, was filmed in the Sacramento area in 2018. The film brought together a cast of Oscar, Emmy and Golden Globe nominated talent, as well as employed a local crew of over 50 people. Ricky has also acted in numerous independent films, as well as hosted a nationally syndicated television show on the WB Network. In addition to directing, his other behind the camera talents include writing, producing and editing.

His credits include commercials and media for major companies such as Disney, The Game Show Network, Comcast, SMOSH, the city of Sacramento and IGN, just to name a few. Ricky now resides in Roseville, California with his wife and 5 children. He double majored at William Jessup University in Rocklin, and all of his animals are named after Star Wars characters.

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Director Statement

When I first read The Talking Tree, I was moved by the incredible desire the character of Danny had to see his mother Georgia before she passed away from cancer. Set against the backdrop of Christmas, the “miracle” Georgia speaks about in the film reminded me of movies like “It’s a Wonderful Life”, “Miracle on 34th Street”, and “The Shawshank Redemption.” A month after reading the script and beginning pre-production, my own other was diagnosed with liver cancer and died just 7 weeks later. “The Talking Tree” became much more than a movie to me at that point. The parallel between this script and my own life has turned this film into the most significant work I will probably ever do in my life. I want this film to give the audience the hope I had for my mother surviving while showing the deep bond between mother and son. At this point, there is no better film for me to have had fall in my lap. This film will be a film that touches lives and hearts for decades to come, and I couldn’t be more honored to be at the helm.