Jules Parker (Emily Atalo) loses her job after going against the wishes of a client and ignoring their wishes. Returning home to see her father Patrick (Greg Brandenburg) and her mother Deanna (Jessica Horton), Jules feels pressured by her mother to help organise the Christmas carnival for the town. Reluctant to get involved, Jules is put in a difficult decision when her mother is involved in an accident and she becomes the town’s only hope of saving the festival. With the help of childhood friend Nick (Jonathan Stoddard), Jules sets to work but can she save the day?
‘Christmas North of Nashville’ is a film that features a very strong message about family and community. Jules has a good relationship with her father but a distant one with her mother. When she first arrives home, she goes to lengths not to tell her mother that she was fired, and she’s not happy when Deanna asks for her help securing financial backing for the carnival. Everything is put into perspective for Jules when Deanna is involved in an accident, and her reluctance to help the town fades as she realises what the carnival means to everyone.
Jules’ reconnection with Nick is another of the film’s central storylines. The two old friends are happy to see each other initially but when Nick puts Jules in a difficult situation in order to save the carnival, she reacts badly. That puts their potential relationship in jeopardy as Jules tries to figure out what she wants to do. There’s a nice exploration here of the pressures that people can feel from their family and friends, and Jules is caught in a rock and a hard place. She’s spent her whole life resentful of her mother’s involvement in the carnival but she gets an opportunity to understand everything from a different perspective.
Emily Atalo is fantastic in the lead role of Jules. She is very watchable on screen and she plays the different layers of her character very well. There’s something very likeable about her and that really benefits the character of Jules, especially when her behaviour isn’t the best. There’s an instant chemistry with Jonathan Stoddard, who plays love interest Nick, and the two actors are magical together. I really believed their blossoming love story and felt pretty invested in the outcome.
‘Christmas North of Nashville’ is a thoroughly enjoyable film that hits all of the right notes. Great American Family really are knocking it out of the park this year, creating films that reinforce traditional values that have been lost in a divided and chaotic society. With stellar performances from Atalo and Stoddard, ‘Christmas North of Nashville’ delivers an important message and it’s a lot of fun to watch.
Cast: Emily Atalo, Jonathan Stoddard, Greg Brandenburg, Jessica Horton Director: Brian Hanford Writers: Michelle Jubilee Gonzalez & Brian Hanford Certificate: Unrated Duration: 85 mins Released by: Great American Media Release date: 23rd November 2025
‘Christmas North of Nashville’ premieres Sunday 23rd November 2025 at 8/7c on Great American Family. Find out more at https://www.greatamericanfamily.com/movie/love-at-kringle-lake-wt/
