LOGLINE
Prancer the Reindeer loses his way on Christmas Eve only to be found by the light.
PITCH
When Prancer the Reindeer gets lost, a 12-year-old girl named Lucia Johansson takes him in on Christmas Eve. While waiting for Father Christmas to find Prancer, the Johansson family dance and sing in celebration until they doubt that their Christmas gifts will ever arrive. In the wee hours of the morning when Father Christmas finds Prancer, he rewards Lucia for taking in a stranger to make sure Christmas is never late again.
SYNOPSIS
Prancer the reindeer hits a cloud, falls to the ground, and ends up in Sweden on Christmas Eve in the snow. Confused, he stands up, almost losing his balance, and kicks the snow. He wanders into the nearest village, feeling like a failure. He hopes Father Christmas comes back for him. He can’t be sure at all which way Father Christmas went or where the sleigh is now. As Prancer walks through the village, he notices Christmas trees decorated with white candles and silver ornaments that catch the starlight. Then, Lucia Johansson, a 12-year-old girl, notices the reindeer while admiring the glowing Bethlehem Star in her front window. She runs out in the snow in a white dress with a red sash around her waist. As she eats a lussekatt bun, a crown of candles sits on her head in a wreath of Lingonberry branches. She thinks that Father Christmas sent him. Then she gently touches his nose and examines his flying antlers, which are larger than antlers on normal reindeer. Prancer explains that he got separated from Father Christmas and his sleigh, and she invites him to spend the holiday with her family.
Lucia’s mother wonders what a reindeer is doing in their home. She and Lucia decide that the neighbors must have sent him for holiday fun. All of a sudden, Lucia’s extended family join hands while thumping their feet and start a ring dance, holding a lighted candle. The dancers sing. Prancer and Lucia go ‘round and ‘round the table and down the halls of the house. When the halls are danced, Prancer and Lucia go through each room and up and down each staircase. Lucia kisses Prancer on the cheek. Although Prancer thinks he messed everything up for Father Christmas, Lucia suggests watching out the window for him on his sleigh. A tear fills Prancer’s eye at the thought of never seeing Father Christmas or his reindeer family again.
As Christmas Eve goes on, Lucia’s family exchanges gifts and eats Christmas cookies and rice dessert. Although the family waits, Father Christmas never arrives. When every disappointed relative has left for the night, Lucia’s mother, father, and three sisters sit with Prancer at the tree. While Lucia’s parents and sisters go to sleep in their bedrooms, Lucia snuggles up with Prancer as he weeps. Then, early in the morning, when it seems that Father Christmas will never complete his rounds on Christmas Eve, there is a thud in front of Lucia’s house, and several whinnies and a large, red glowing reindeer light. Father Christmas knocks on the front door with a sack of gifts. Although Father Christmas has seven other reindeer, he says that he had to go after the lost Prancer until he found him. He flew all night and didn’t forget Prancer. As the story goes, Prancer makes sure to be especially alert when flying on Christmas Eve and never gets lost again.
Copyright 2022 Jennifer Waters
No comments:
Post a Comment