- Sparks fly between a famous model and a farmer with a young daughter when she visits her childhood home. The town is in danger of losing their beloved Santaland festival, but miracles can happen with a little love, family, and faith.
- When a New York City model spends the holidays in a small town, she falls in love with her childhood pen pal, now a pig farmer, and helps save his hometown's Santaland--while learning that true beauty comes from the heart, not just a pretty face, showing young girls that their worth is not based on their appearance, fame, social followers, or money, but found by treating others with love, honor, and respect. Told through an inspirational, family Christmas story inspired by real events. "The Farmer and the Belle: Saving Santaland" follows Belle Winters, a tired supermodel who's worried about aging out of the industry. One evening in her New York City apartment, she remembers a charm bracelet with Biblical beauty affirmations that her grandmother gave her when she was a child. Belle no longer has the bracelet but thinks it might be at Santaland, a Christmas farm where she played in her youth. Desperate to find the bracelet, Belle sets out to find it and finds herself in the process.—Jenn Gotzon and Movieguide
- Although it is stated in the closing credits that the movie is based on the real-life story of the lead actors, it is also stated that the characters are fictional.
Belle Winters is the face of Jubilee Cosmetics and a well-known model, but she is getting older and having a harder time getting jobs. In New York City, Cassidy assures Belle that she still looks good and Belle tells Cassidy that everyone else makes mistakes, but Belle does not. In front of the Flatiron Building, Belle and a horse are both wearing pink and the shoot does not go well. It takes nearly 100 takes to finish, and then video of a news story shows up on a Jumbotron for everyone to see. Belle's relationship with her fiancee is in trouble.
Upset over everything, Belle goes back to her apartment and talks to Vinnie about other possible jobs. There is one with a pig, which Belle won't do because the experience with the horse was so bad. he only other job she can get is for adult diapers. No, Belle will not admit to being that old.
Belle watches a video of her father reading her the story of The Farmer in the Dell when she was little, changing the words to "Farmer and the Belle".
What Belle needs is a bracelet given to her by her grandmother with inspirational messages that state, among other things, that beauty is not about appearance, but that beauty is about how a person is on the inside. She lost that bracelet at a place called Santaland in Georgia when she was a child.
So Belle needs to go to Santaland to find that bracelet. Once she arrives in Georgia, she makes the first of several calls to Cassidy, telling her why she is there and that the airline lost her luggage. Belle also says her former pen pal Josh would know more, but they haven't been in contact for years. Her ride share driver believes he knows where Santaland is and lets her out nearby.
Outside the house are Josh, Josh's father Gran Poppy, Kathie and Rowdy. Josh and his father are concerned that this will be the last Christmas for Santaland, after 87 years.
Belle shows up and explains she is looking for Santaland. She is told it is not open yet but they can give her a place to stay. Only Kathie admits to knowing who she is. Josh takes Belle to a cabin where the lost bracelet might be. Josh finally admits to being Belle's former pen pal, which bothers Belle because if he really cared about her, he would have known her immediately.
Belle refuses to stay in the cabin and goes back to the house, but on the way she encounters numerous cows and is frightened. Josh, who is a farmer, comes to her rescue and says he never intended for her to stay in the cabin, and shows her to a room where she can stay and clothes she can wear. He won't say why but it bothers him that he has those clothes.
The next morning, 7-year-old Adele comes in the room where Belle is sleeping, goes inside a pink tent, and talks to her mother on a pink phone, saying she misses her and wishes she would come back. She sees Belle in the bed and is frightened, running out to her father to say they have a robber. Josh assures Adele everything is all right, and Belle comes in the kitchen for breakfast. Once they are introduced to each other, Belle and Adele get along quite well. Josh tells Belle he lost his wife Mandy.
Before starting on her search, Belle puts on some different clothes. Josh is bothered by seeing Belle in Mandy's clothes, though Adele thinks Belle looks like her mom. They go to pick out a Christmas tree at a local Christmas tree farm. Kathie is there too and admits to Belle she is there to buy a tree for Josh's church. Yes, Josh is a pastor. The church is actually a barn. Belle helps decorate the tree and makes cookies with Adele, who used to do that with her mom.
Belle begins her search but doesn't have much luck, and she promises to help with the farm. She spends a second night at the house. She is waked up very early by Adele, who says her father let Belle sleep in. Still, Belle did promise to help with the chores, even if to her 6:00 is the middle of the night. Belle helps with the chickens, the cows, the goats and the pigs, with comical results, and of course she ends up dirty.
Josh shows Belle where the lost and found is, in an attic with his mother's stuff which no one has gone through since her death. In the process of searching Belle finds one of the charms from the bracelet, and she is very happy, thinking she is getting close to finding it.
In the room where she stays, Belle finds a box with the letters she sent Josh, returned to sender. Asked earlier why he stopped responding to her, Josh said she was the one who stopped responding and accused her of being too big a celebrity to care about him any more. Now Belle realizes her mother sent the letters back and that's why Josh believed she stopped responding.
Santaland needs $75,000 to stay open. Belle knows that with her celebrity status, she can make that happen. As Santaland opens for the Christmas season, Belle's makeup artist Zhen shows up and offers to make excited young girls look good. Gran Poppy sells kisses. Belle participates in the games.
There are musical performances by celebrities including John Schneider, and Schneider asks the people who are attending to give generously. Josh and Belle also have a private moment which suggests they might end up together.
Talking to Cassidy on the phone, Belle learns that word has gotten out and people have seen Belle at Santaland and are donating to save the place. Belle says she had no intention of using the event for publicity but she is happy that her efforts will help save Santaland.
Then the time comes for Belle to leave. She tells Vinnie she will do the adult diaper campaign.
Before she leaves, Belle finds the bracelet. She realizes Josh knew where it was all along and is very angry that he hid it from her. She confronts Josh and shows him the letters. Josh says he didn't know the letters came back and they must have been hidden from him. And he explains that the bracelet was the one thing that kept Mandy going as long as she did, and that giving it back would be too hard on him. Not to mention the fact Belle would have left without doing all that she did with him and Adele. This is not good enough. Josh lied to Belle.
In a flashback, Grammy gives young Belle the bracelet and tells her that beauty is not just about appearance.
Before Belle leaves, Adele can't understand why Belle is no longer spending time with her and her father. Still, Josh has to lead a church service where the children will play the parts of those who participated in the first Christmas. Adele will be Mary.
A limo picks up Belle, who is happy to see Cassidy and just wants to go. Kathie stops the limo and hands Belle a diary with a bookmark. Belle opens up the diary to a page where Mandy laments that she can't spend much more time with her family, praises the positive messages on her bracelet that have kept her going, and says she looks forward to the bracelet going to Adele.
Belle asks to turn around. Adele asks her to play the donkey that Mary rides on, and while Belle is reluctant, she does anyway. Josh is surprised to learn afterward that Belle was there after all.
A man asks to speak to Josh. He needs Josh to sign papers. Belle bought the tree farm and intends for all revenue from the tree farm to support Santaland.
In the room with the pink tent, Josh and Adele find Belle talking to Mandy on the pink phone, assuring Mandy her family will be fine.
Josh and Belle kiss.
Included with the closing credits is video from the real wedding of the lead actors.
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By what name was The Farmer and the Belle: Saving Santaland (2020) officially released in India in English?
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