Snowmen is a true story, but all the facts have been changed. The finished film, which celebrates what matters most in life, began as the most depressing script ever. The first draft, written a decade ago, read like a tragic memoir of growing up in snowy Winnipeg, Canada. Highlights included my father's battle with leukemia (he died when I was 13) and the loss of our Jamaican neighbors' son Howard.

That grim story seemed like an injustice. The truth is those tragedies drew my family and community closer together, and I was inspired to ask profound questions about my purpose in life, questions that drew me to my faith. One memory was paramount: At Howard's funeral, so many people had shown up that the church could not hold them all. Every space was filled with mourners. Latecomers stood outside in sub-zero temperatures, listening through open windows, singing and praying. And I remember seeing the local bully... he was crying.

That's when I had a revelation. People are good, even the ones who seem hopelessly bad&mash;or at least we're all meant to be good. And none of us really wants to see our enemies suffer. Given the chance, I think most people would risk their lives to save their least favorite person. I really believe it... and needed to the script to reflect this feeling.

I rewrote the script. This time, I wanted to show the innate ability of children to find joy in all circumstances. I considered the people and events that most inspired me, then rearranged, combined, and tweaked those memories to guarantee a happy ending. I've presented events as they seemed to me as a child: dangers exaggerated, victories sweeter, and adventures amplified.

And yet, despite all these changes… it feels exactly the way I remember.