TALLAHASSEE, FL — This holiday season, HBCU alumnus Gregory Anderson honors his late father’s legacy with the Lifetime holiday movie “Deck the Hallways.” The film tells a heartwarming story of family, tradition, and hope and is available to stream on-demand via the Lifetime app and website: https://play.mylifetime.com/movies/deck-the-hallways, with encore airings throughout the holiday season.
Anderson, a Florida A&M University graduate, wrote the screenplay in Tallahassee earlier this year while caring for his father, Dr. Osiefield Anderson. The experience shaped the film’s themes of celebrating life, cherishing memories, and honoring old traditions while embracing new ones. “The story became about everything Dad taught me, about honoring what matters, celebrating the people we love while we have them, and finding ways to keep their spirit alive,” Anderson said.
The film is dedicated to Dr. Anderson in its closing credits. Dr. Osiefield Anderson, who passed away on August 10, 2025, at age 97, taught at FAMU for six decades, weaving life philosophy into mathematics and mentoring countless students. He was also a retired Army veteran and author of 34 books, many offering life lessons.
“Deck the Hallways” stars Loretta Devine, Naika Toussaint, and Jamie M. Callica. The story follows Zoe (Toussaint), a Bay Area tech executive, returning to Chicago to visit her grandmother Agnes (Devine), who canceled a cherished holiday party. Zoe teams up with her childhood crush Jace (Callica) and their neighbors to revive the celebration. Together, the community rekindles holiday spirit, forges new memories, and even sparks romance.
Produced by Front Street Pictures, the film is directed by Jason James, with Gregory R. Anderson writing the teleplay and co-creating the story alongside Meyer Shwarzstein. Executive producers include Meyer Shwarzstein, Reuben Cannon, Nicole Guenthard, Jackie Lind, Rama Diallo, and Allen Lewis.
Anderson is also known for writing the #1 box office hit “Stomp the Yard” and producing TV series including Carl Weber’s The Family Business on Paramount Plus and BET+, as well as spinoffs The Family Business: New Orleans and The Black Hamptons.
How to Watch:
Stream on-demand via the Lifetime app or Lifetime website, and check local listings for holiday airings.
