New Mexico screenwriter puts spotlight on Balloon Fiesta with Hallmark's 'Love in the Clouds'

Tamas Nadas and Galen Walker are two producers striving to have more film productions in New Mexico.

The two are part of Desert Reign Films, and along with executive producer Jared Chadowsky, are behind the upcoming film “Love in the Clouds,” which will premiere at 6 p.m. Saturday, May 10, on the Hallmark Channel. It will also be available to stream on Hallmark+.

“I grew up here,” Walker says. “I moved to Los Angeles when I was young. I’ve made a lot of movies with Paramount. I see the opportunities for New Mexico. Instead of having people come in and make their movies and leave, we’re going to try and make movies with the people we have here. This means building post-production. These are steps we need to make in order to be successful.”

“Love in the Clouds” tells the story of Brooklyn, who is a reporter who travels to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta to meet hot air balloon pilot Jared, who offers romantic balloon rides but is closed off to love himself.

Paul Greene stars as Jared and McKenzie Westmore stars as Brooklyn. The film also stars Gail O’Grady and Lorenzo Lamas.

The film was written by New Mexico screenwriter Lisa Hepner.

“Love in the Clouds” is the sixth film she’s written and it is her first for Hallmark Channel.

“This is one of my dreams,” Hepner says. “It took me six years to get a script greenlit at Hallmark. It feels so serendipitous because it airs on Mother’s Day weekend. My mom and I would watch Hallmark movies together and it was a way for us to escape her chemotherapy. I told her that I would one day have a movie on Hallmark. It’s like she’s given me a gift back.”

Hepner has written five other movies — yet it didn’t cross her mind to have one set in New Mexico.

“I grew up here and the first thing I thought about was the Balloon Fiesta,” Hepner says. “I couldn’t think of any other films that featured the event. I decided to take advantage and feature Albuquerque. From the Balloon Fiesta to El Pinto to the tram, there are a lot of Albuquerque landmarks.”

Nadas said the production had a quick turnaround — and the team was ready to meet the challenge.

The pair got together with plenty of local crew.

“It’s a beautiful film,” Nadas says.

Walker says with a lot of productions going out of the country, it was a big deal to get the contract with Hallmark.

“This film looks very different from other Hallmark films,” Walker says.

Production for the film began in late 2024 and took place in and around Albuquerque.

Nadas and Walker said the team had to re-create the Balloon Fiesta feel.

“They had globitos flying and we were able to recreate the vendors as well as using live footage from Balloon Fiesta,” Walker says. “There was a lot of hustle. Chad Quick and his group rose to the occasion and we had Joshua Aragon doing the props. He was a rock star. There were a lot of challenges and we were able to make this all happen.”

Nadas said the production happened quickly.

“I was in Los Angeles during Thanksgiving and we were getting all the financing arranged,” he says. “We were on the ground filming a few weeks later.”

Walker wanted the production to utilize the New Mexico film incentives to the best it could.

“The Hallmark team was wonderful,” Walker says.

At the end of the production, Greene, who is also a musician, composed a song for the film.

“This was an example of hard work paying off,” says Nadas. “We hope that the audience feels a connection to the film as we showcase what New Mexico film can accomplish.”

New Mexico screenwriter puts spotlight on Balloon Fiesta with Hallmark's 'Love in the Clouds'