A new Christmas adventure film by Nailsworth explorer and author Christina Dodwell is now available to watch on YouTube, bringing together festive magic, daring rescues and a message about the value of being different.
Hello Willow Deer — A Christmas Adventure launched online on November 1, 2026. The approximately 20-minute family film follows a colourful herd of willow reindeer as they face danger, mystery and challenges before Christmas.
The film’s online release follows recognition at three international film festivals. It won Best Family Program at the Best Shorts Film Festival in La Jolla, California, received an Honourable Mention at the Global Shorts Film Festival in Los Angeles and reached the final at the Cannes World Film Festival — Remember the Future.
Star sets out to prove her worth
The story begins when Star, a small female reindeer, arrives with a dream of joining Santa’s team. The other reindeer question whether she is big enough to help pull Santa’s sleigh, but Star is determined to demonstrate that she has a special contribution to make.
Her opportunity comes after two reindeer disappear. Star is drawn into a rescue mission that takes her towards a mysterious house and a locked dungeon. The adventure also involves a villainous woman and a riddle concerning hidden keys.
Star’s unusual gift may be the key to bringing the missing reindeer safely home. To succeed, however, she must rely on courage and teamwork rather than allowing the doubts of others to define what she can do.
Another reindeer, Prancer, has a separate difficulty to overcome. Kind and dependable, he struggles to believe that he can fly. Support from his friends helps him begin to build the confidence needed to attempt something that once seemed impossible.
Santa and flying reindeer appear alongside watchful stone lions as the story moves through its magical Christmas setting. The film explores belonging, friendship, self-belief and the importance of recognising the strengths that can come from difference.
A story shaped by a life of exploration
The film’s themes reflect parts of Dodwell’s own life and career. Her adventures began in 1975, when she undertook a 20,000-mile journey around Africa using a horse, camel and dugout canoe.
She later made solo journeys to destinations including Papua New Guinea, China, Siberia and Madagascar. Alongside her work as an explorer, Dodwell is an author and broadcaster, and she was elected a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
Her honours include the Gold Medal from the Royal Scottish Geographical Society, awarded in 1989, and the International Medal of the Spanish Geographical Society, awarded in 2012.
Dodwell has also recalled, in an interview with The Long Riders’ Guild, how her mother encouraged her to embrace being different and helped build her confidence in facing the challenges of independent travel. That influence is reflected in the film’s emphasis on individuality, resilience and discovering abilities that others may overlook.
Family viewing for the festive season
Although the story is built around reindeer, Santa, hidden keys and a rescue mission, its wider focus is on kindness, confidence, friendship and acceptance. Star’s struggle to be taken seriously and Prancer’s uncertainty about flying give the film two different examples of characters learning to trust themselves.
The production is presented as a shared viewing experience for children and adults as Christmas approaches. Its themes are intended to encourage conversations between family members about being kind, supporting friends, accepting differences and recognising the value in ourselves and other people.
Hello Willow Deer — A Christmas Adventure is available to watch on YouTube from November 1, 2026.
