TG4, BBC NI And S4C Announce First Tri-Nation Animated Christmas Movie

TG4, BBC Northern Ireland and S4C have announced a milestone co-commission: the first-ever animated Christmas movie created through a tri-nation co-production supported by Northern Ireland Screen's Irish Language Broadcast Fund (ILBF), Screen Fund and Coimisiún na Meán.

The festive special will premiere on 14 December, airing in Irish on TG4 and Cúla4, on BBC Two Northern Ireland and BBC iPlayer, and in Welsh on S4C.

Produced by Taunt Studios, the film introduces audiences to Nollaig – or Nollaí – an ordinary deer with an extraordinary secret, who leads viewers on a magical and heart-warming holiday adventure.

The animation follows Nollaí, a deer adopted by a human family after they discovered him alone in a mountain stone circle. Though unusually large for a deer, he grows up happily with Sadhbh and Daid until an unexpected discovery reveals he may be the last surviving Megaloceros giganteus, the extinct giant deer. The revelation sparks a quest to uncover his origins, alongside Sadhbh and a Christmas-loving bat named Stoca. Their journey leads to a portal into the realm of the giant deer, forcing Nollaí to choose between discovering his heritage and staying with his family.

Máire Uí Choisdealbha, Commissioning Editor at TG4, said: "We are absolutely delighted to commission TG4’s first-ever animated Christmas special, a truly exciting international co-production with our wonderful partners. 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."

Karen Kirby, Commissioning Executive for BBC Northern Ireland, said: "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. 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."