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He Who Fathered Christmas

Have you ever wondered where Father Christmas came from? His story may still be shrouded in mystery but, either way, his adventures have continued to inspire writers and artists all over the world. From 1930s America to ancient Rome, here's your chance to catch a glimpse behind the origins of one of the world's most famous figures.

  • Tom Hudson
    Director
  • Colin Bailey
    Narrators
  • Graham Botterill
    Narrators
  • Lloyd Walsh
    Key Cast
  • Kevin Hudson
    Key Cast
  • Graham Botterill
    Key Cast
  • Heath Pye
    Key Cast
  • Lisa Hudson
    Key Cast
  • Martin Slater
    Key Cast
  • Jenny Hazell
    Key Cast
  • Paul Bungard
    Key Cast
  • Julia Stevens
    Key Cast
  • Sue Rhodes-Smith
    Key Cast
  • Samuel Chamberlain
    Key Cast
  • Shaun Mullins
    Key Cast
  • David Brightmore
    Key Cast
  • Steven Pouell
    Key Cast
  • Dave Chapman
    Key Cast
  • Simon Green
    Key Cast
  • Dave Strike
    Key Cast
  • Jade Johnson
    Key Cast
  • Sian Bearfield
    Key Cast
  • Bernard Boardman
    Key Cast
  • Tom Hudson
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    15 minutes 18 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    January 4, 2017
  • Production Budget:
    100 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Tom Hudson

"Tom has been making films since his teens and is always on the lookout to try his hand at something new. He isn't afraid to take risks. After all, most of it's self-taught however I know he's also done some work for a couple of studios too. When I first met him four years ago, he was an Oxford graduate with his background being very much rooted in history so it makes perfect sense for him to finally be doing a documentary."

Helen Comber, a pen friend

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

A few years ago, I set up 'The Historiographers of Facebook' - a group where anyone with an interest in the past could post up news articles, events and videos to share with each other online. Personally, I've always wanted to do a documentary and, since I have a fascination with Christmas and how it was celebrated in the past, thought that this could be a good starting point. The aim of this is that it could present documentaries in a new light: something that informed and entertained in a shorter space of time; a concept that had been researched but was to be promoted as more of a speculative documentary (or 'specumentary') to allow people to form their own opinions, given that part of the material is comprised of stories; an idea that could be shared among regular families, not just adults and academics; something that tried to take as neutral a bias as possible as it progressed along a chronology in a backwards fashion; and, ultimately, on a subject that most people could relate to. Anyway, I hope that those watching enjoy 'He Who Fathered Christmas.'