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Original painted Christmas scene, from the Cine Claus illustration set

Essential Christmas · 2020

Angela's Christmas Wish

41/100Festive FactorWhy it scores 41 ↓
Not BBFC rated47 min
Family · Animation

A gentler, slighter follow-up to Brown Bag Films' lovely first special, and still a kind way to spend a…

On Netflix · UK subscription →
Plan this film night ↓Can the kids watch? ↓
Explore this film 8 sections

The CineClaus Christmas score

Festive Factor

Christmas in good measure.

Original painted Christmas scene, from the Cine Claus illustration set

A little magic in the making.

Five ingredients make the Festive Factor.
Open an ingredient to find out more.

Christmas in the storyChristmas is the deadline.15/30

What we ask: Take Christmas out. Does the plot survive? Worth up to 30 of the 100 points.

A world dressed for ChristmasVisibly Christmas for the final act.5/20

What we ask: How much of the running time is visibly Christmas? Worth up to 20 of the 100 points.

The little seasonal details2 of the 10 kinds of Christmas icon we count turn up on screen.3/15

What we ask: How many kinds of Christmas icon turn up on screen: trees, lights, snow, carols and the rest? Worth up to 15 of the 100 points.

A Christmas heartHow far the ending rests on goodwill, family and belief: substantially.15/20

What we ask: Does the ending depend on what Christmas means: goodwill, family, redemption, belief? Worth up to 20 of the 100 points.

A returning traditionNiche at Christmas (under 25,000).3/15

What we ask: Is it actually watched at Christmas in the UK? Worth up to 15 of the 100 points.

77/100

Cosiness Rating Rating

Warm in tone. Mild threat. A happy ending.

How we score →
What do these scores mean?

Festive Factor measures how Christmassy a film is. Five ingredients add up to 100: story (30), setting (20), seasonal details (15), emotional heart (20) and returning tradition (15).

Cosiness is a separate score for warmth of tone, sense of safety, visual comfort, a reassuring ending and how easily you can settle into it.

How the Festive Factor works →
Your next film night

Where to watch

United KingdomChecked

Netflix

Included with a subscription
Open Angela's Christmas Wish on Netflix (opens in a new tab)

Streaming changes constantly and we cannot promise it is still right - check the service before you settle in. Streaming availability information provided by Streaming Availability API by Movie of the Night (opens in a new tab).

The story

About Angela's Christmas Wish

A year on from the first special, a determined young girl in a poor family a century ago is missing her father, who has gone to work on the other side of the world. With her brother she tries ever bolder schemes to fetch him home in time for Christmas, from digging a tunnel to sneaking aboard a boat, while their mother quietly plans a festive surprise of her own.

The CineClaus verdict

A gentler, slighter follow-up to Brown Bag Films' lovely first special, and still a kind way to spend a short evening.

The children's schemes to fetch their absent father home give it some comic momentum, and Ruth Negga keeps the family's hardship honest without letting it turn grim. The festive part is mostly saved for the closing minutes, so this plays as a homecoming story with Christmas at the end.

Watch the original first, then save this for the following night with the little ones who loved it.

The family desk

Can the kids watch?

Not BBFC rated

Our take: suitable for most young children: the scariest moment is a risky dash around the docks and some sadness about a missing parent, and the family is back together by the end.

Content advice & accessibility
Not BBFC rated
The BBFC has no classification for this film, so it has no UK certificate. Our age guidance above is editorial, not an official rating.

The series

The films in this series

2 films, in release order

  • 2017

    The film before

    Angela's Christmas

    2017

    Picks up a year after the first special.

    Not in our catalogue yet
  • 2020

    You’re here

    Angela's Christmas Wish

    2020

    You’re on this film’s page
The people behind the film

Cast and crew

The faces in front of the camera, and the people who brought the story to life.

Main cast

In billing order
Lucy O'Connellas Angela
Smiling woman with short dark curly hair in a floral top, seated at a panel table with a microphone in front of her.Ruth Neggaas Angela's mother
Portrait of Jared Harris with short fair hair, a grey beard and blue-framed glasses, in a dark jacket and white t-shirt.Jared Harris
Caitríona Balfe

Behind the camera

Directed by
Damien O'Connor
Photo credits

Portraits via Wikimedia Commons, each under its own licence, approved for this page by a person. Sources and full photographer credits:

Ruth Negga · Gage Skidmore · Source image (opens in a new tab) · CC BY-SA 3.0 (opens in a new tab).

Jared Harris · Amy Martin Photography · Source image (opens in a new tab) · CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab).

A little more Angela's Christmas Wish

Film facts &
behind the scenes

For the fans who stay after the credits.

Music & sound

A teenage singer performs the original song

Darren Hendley composed the score and wrote the film's original song. It is sung by Allie Sherlock, who was 15 at the time.

Read the story

Source: Brown Bag Films ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Movie magic

Fully computer animated by Brown Bag Films

The 47-minute special is CG animation made by Brown Bag Films, with Nando Adiletta and Alfred Llupia as art directors.

Read the story

Source: Brown Bag Films ↗ (opens in a new tab)

On set

Built on Frank McCourt's picture book

The story draws on characters from Frank McCourt's book Angela and the Baby Jesus, and Damien O'Connor both wrote and directed this sequel.

Read the story

Source: Brown Bag Films ↗ (opens in a new tab)

And at a glance

Releases and certificates
: On streaming. Launched worldwide on Netflix.
Sources & a note on these facts

Each production story is linked to its source, in our own words. Ending details stay behind a spoiler reveal.

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Collections, stories & Christmas memories

Elsewhere on CineClaus

More places to find Angela's Christmas Wish, and a few good reasons to keep exploring.

In this collection

Best family Christmas films

Angela's Christmas Wish is in this collection

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Collection

Feel-good Christmas films for a cosy night in

Explore the collection
Stay for another story.All collections · The Christmas Edit