Nicholas of Myra is a movie that has been in the works for several years but stalled due to the Great Recession. We have talked about it in the Christmas community online for several years now. It appears this logjam of financing woes has finally been broken with this announcement on Facebook earlier today:

Many friends of the film have been wondering what announcement we have had in the works for the last month. A few things had been up in the air until recently, but after more than 18 months of sitting on a nearly finished film, we are happy to announce that we have finally secured funding to complete Nicholas of Myra. Being an independent production with a budget well over one million dollars, getting commitments for all of the funding was no easy task. Thank you to all of our investors, sponsors and other partners for helping this incredible story happen — on screen as well as behind the camera. As mentioned before, we are implementing a bold initiative this month that will utilize the power of social media and networking to get the film released in theaters, worldwide, as well as on Blu-ray/DVD, TV, and all other forms of media distribution. Be sure to have your friends “like” our Facebook fanpage. As of tomorrow, only friends of the film that “like” our page will have access to exclusive media and updates regarding the launch of this distribution initiative.

In another Facebook posting they shared this link showcasing images and part of the score from the film that was produced on Sony digital equipment.

There is considerable interest in the film, similar to that of The Nativity Story of a few years ago. From their site, here is a synopsis of the storyline:

Orphan, saint, immortal… Nicholas was born to Greek parents in the city of Patara during the latter part of the Third Century A.D., on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Orphaned while still young, Nicholas inherited his father’s vast fortune — an event that served as the catalyst for a journey of self-discovery that one day led him to the city of Myra (presently Demre, Turkey). There he came to live a dual life, as a devout bishop by day, and an anonymous gift-bearer by night. Few people know of the many legends that surround his familiar name — even fewer know the history behind the saint.

This film has the potential to become a classic. We’ll keep you posted.