SYNOPSIS:

RUFA "DOC" KALKHAN M.D. (29), whose Middle-Eastern beauty is only enhanced by wearing a hijab (head scarf), rides a Greyhound bus to Colorado over Christmas Break, in the opposite direction of her arranged marriage ceremony. Rufa doesn't know she is being followed and photographed. A redneck passenger dives at her grandfather's medical bag thinking it's a bomb, spilling the contents. Rufa bursts into tears. She never fit in at med school, she's $200,000 in debt, she's never dated, and she's not pleasing her parents. An ever-smiling, somewhat-awkward farmer, SAMMY (23), comforts Rufa, and convinces her to spend Christmas Break in the ski town of Breckenridge with his college-grad friends. Rufa, having never seen snow, just wants to get as far away as possible from her upset parents and fiancé in New Orleans.

Rufa’s holiday getaway is off to a rocky start despite the town’s welcoming decorations. She finds there is no room at the inn. She's stuck with Sammy and his three roommates in a dump of a house. BURNER (28), a fearless non-practicing Jewish snowboarder, parties like there's no tomorrow. SOCCER (25) is a gay Belizean bartender who has a title for her novel and little else. OLLIE (34) is a professional freestyle skier at the end of her run. Rufa must quickly learn to reach outside her comfort zone to survive. Over the next three days, Rufa excels as a temporary physician at a local doctor's office, adapts to the western custom of shaking hands and hugging, frequents a bar (without drinking), and befriends her wild roomies, who remain suspicious of their new Muslim friend and adulthood.

As Rufa learns she is tailed by a private investigator, her parents visit Breckenridge to bring their daughter home. YUSUF KALKHAN (54), a successful divorce lawyer, and his wife, SHATHA (47) see their family torn apart. And now Rufa is in love with the irresponsible snowboarder, Burner, who badly needs to learn to care about others!

When a quietly-gay policewoman, CINDY (35) forces Burner to quit drinking and perform community service teaching disabled kids to snowboard, many lives are changed. Rufa smiles more than ever. She finally comes of age on a real date. Her new friends mature, too. Cindy openly gravitates to Soccer, and Ollie and Sammy courageously move on from their ski-bum lifestyles. Everyone gains tolerance, which is what Christmas and all holidays should be about.

Still, Rufa's culture demands conformity and obedience, and she surrenders to her parent's wishes. Rufa is about to return to New Orleans to get married when Burner transforms into the man of her dreams by helping kids with disabilities. When Rufa finds out her fiancé arranged for the private investigator, she reaches a turning point. It's a heartwarming story of gaining tolerance, respect, and acceptance in the world, two people at a time throughout the Holiday season.

BECOMING WE