The most wonderful time of the year has a different meaning for Kelly and Stan Stevenson (Keyona Bledsoe and Freddie T. Cole Jr.). Instead of celebrating Christmas joy the couple is faced with making a difficult decision —will they get a divorce or will they stay married?
In the film “A New Husband for Christmas,” which premiered Nov. 1 on Amazon, Kyria Williams, playwright and producer, chronicles the rocky relationship of Kelly and Stan with Christian values emphasized at the forefront. Williams’ stage play “Marriage Works If You Work It” is the inspiration behind the film. That’s also a common saying her pastor, Raymond D. Horry of Ark of Safety Christian Church, uses to describe the hard work that goes into marriage.
“I thought the movie was great and the message was on point,” Horry said. “Marriage works if you work it, implying that you have to put in the work. Most people either quit, give up or they don’t put the work in.
“Folks faint because times get hard, so they stop working. You must keep working and that’s the name of the game for her in the film.”
Williams considers herself to be a devout Christian, someone who has a strong commitment to live their life according to the gospel of Jesus Christ. She said she saw the need to incorporate faith into all her productions, especially for this film. Her convictions stem from her personal relationship with Christ.
“As I was sitting in church getting all these uncompromising teachings of the word of God, understanding and applying the principles to my life, God confirmed to me that my assignment was to write,” Williams said.
“I believe that’s definitely where my energy, just everything, my enthusiasm, everything comes from — basically saying ‘hey the word of God works’.”
Since its release, the film currently has a 4.7 out of 5-star rating. Williams said she is grateful for the positive feedback she has received and she always aims to make content enjoyable for the viewers.
One local viewer, Leandra Green, has been married to her husband, Ray, for 19 years. She thinks the movie is relatable and shows a true representation of what marriage looks like.
“I love that the two main characters gave a true perspective of marriage when there are two people from two different walks of life and how bumping heads causes a divide in your home,” Green said. “I really liked that it was a realistic movie, ‘cause a lot of times you see movies and it’s just not real.”
Although “A New Husband for Christmas” is based on marriage, Williams said the film isn’t limited only to married couples. She said the film has something to offer for singles people, too. She wants fans to walk away knowing that God is real, and all things can improve by trusting in God.
All the actors in the film are from St. Louis and the entire movie was shot locally. Williams lives in Florissant.
The film was produced by Williams and her husband, Leconte Williams, through her company KMW Productions, LLC, in association with Mullen Group Productions. It was directed by Atlanta-based director Derrick Mullen of Mullen Group Productions.
KMW is a Christian-based production company. Its mission is to spread the word of God through theater, films, books, and events. The company has produced four stage productions including “Love Changes Things,” “The Wakeup Call,” “Moving Forward,” and ‘Marriage Works If You Work It,’ and two movies “The Wakeup Call” movie and “A New Husband for Christmas.”’
ANHFC is available to rent or purchase here: https://www.amazon.com/New-Husband-Christmas-Keyona-Bledsoe/dp/B08L4LBCV4