TG4, BBC NI & S4C Co-Commission Christmas Movie

Ireland’s TG4, BBC Northern Ireland (BBCNI) and Wales’ S4C have co-commissioned the animated Christmas movie Nollaí to premiere in Irish and Welsh across their channels on December 14.

The tri-nation co-production is supported by Northern Ireland Screen’s Irish Language Broadcast Fund (ILBF), Screen Fund and Coimisiún na Meán. It will broadcast in Irish on TG4, Cúla4, BBC Two Northern Ireland and BBC iPlayer and in Welsh on S4C.

Produced by Taunt Studios, the movie follows Nollaig—Nollaí for short—a regular deer who has been living a nice life on the farm with his human family, sister Sadhbh and Daid. He came into Daid and Sadhbh’s lives when they found him in a stone circle on a mountain, with no kin in sight. Years later, Nollaí stumbles on a surprise that reveals he might be the last living Megaloceros giganteus, the extinct giant deer. The discovery leads Nollaí and Sadhbh on a quest in search of his origins.

“We are absolutely delighted to commission TG4’s first-ever animated Christmas special, a truly exciting international co-production with our wonderful partners,” said Máire Uí Choisdealbha, commissioning editor at TG4. “This collaboration brings together an extraordinary blend of creative talent and cultural storytelling from Ireland and Wales, resulting in a festive film we believe will enchant families for years to come. It’s a milestone for TG4 and a celebration of the shared cultural imagination that unites our broadcasters. We can’t wait for audiences to experience the magic.”

“This is the first collaboration of its kind for BBC Northern Ireland and BBC Gaeilge, and we’re delighted to join with our broadcast and funding partners to bring this beautifully animated Christmas story to our audiences on BBC iPlayer and on BBC NI television,” commented Karen Kirby, commissioning executive for BBC Northern Ireland. “Nollaí is a delightful tale of love and belonging, a universal story which can be told in multiple languages and is brilliantly brought to life through the incredible acting talents of the cast, the animation team and musicians. I hope it will be a film that all generations can enjoy together over the Christmas period.”

Sioned Geraint, S4C’s content commissioner for children and learners, added, “I’m delighted that S4C has been a part of Nollaí, or Nolig in Welsh. This is a beautiful and endearing animated film that will resonate with so many of our viewers and be a highlight of our festive schedule for children and families for years to come. It’s been great working with our Celtic friends again and build on the ever-growing relationship between TG4 and S4C, and being able to launch this film in Irish and Welsh on the same day on both channels is perfect.”

“We are delighted to support the production of Nollaí through our Sound & Vision Funding Scheme, which is all about supporting the creation of new, innovative Irish language content that will be enjoyed by audiences young and old,” said Rónán Ó Domhnaill, media development commissioner at Coimisiún na Meán.

Áine Walsh, chief language and cultural officer and head of the Irish Language Broadcast Fund at Northern Ireland Screen, commented, “In our 20th anniversary year, the Irish Language Broadcast Fund is proud to support Nollaí, the first-ever Irish-language animated Christmas special made in the North. It showcases the ambition and talent of our local creative teams, who brought skill and collaboration to every stage of the project. This festive story, steeped in Irish folklore, will delight young audiences and offer the whole family a shared Christmas experience in Irish. We’re thrilled it will be seen on BBC NI, TG4, Cúla4 and S4C, highlighting the strength of high-quality content being created locally for families across Ireland and beyond.”

Tom Getty and Aisling McElroy of Taunt Studios, added, “All of us at Taunt have had such a wonderful time creating our little film Nollaí. As a bunch of Christmas lovers, it was a dream come true to be able to spend the last year bringing this to life. None of this would have been possible without the support of BBC NI, TG4 and S4C, as well as our funders ILBF, Northern Ireland Screen and Coimisiún na Meán. We hope you all like it as much as we do.”