A festive story about nurturing not just the planet but also the people who mean the most to us.

Julia & The Fir Tree; is a Christmas brand film for ACCIONA, creatively led by McCann Madrid and directed by Kristian Andrews of Studio AKA. The story follows a young girl, Julia, through her school career as her kind teacher introduces the class to ecology and sustainability. Over the years, Mr Green nurtures Julia’s fascination with nature until the day he retires, leaving Julia forlorn. On parting, however, Mr Green gives Julia a single pinecone. She may have lost her favourite teacher, but she now has the chance to put his teachings into practice by growing her very own pine tree.

The years pass and Julia matures alongside her tree. Eventually we see a grown Julia setting off on her bike on a cold winter afternoon. As she cycles past a care home, she spots a familiar face… Julia decides it is time to repay the kindness she received all those years ago from her favourite teacher and to give something back to her community. In the closing scene, Julia is reunited with Mr Green in front of a new addition to the care home’s garden: Julia’s mature and fully decorated Christmas tree.

CREDITS

PRODUCED BY Studio AKA • DIRECTOR Kristian Andrews • EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Nikki Kefford • PRODUCER Adriana Piasek-Wanski • EDITOR Nic Gill • PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Sophia Amatiello • STORYBOARD ARTISTS Kristian Andrews, Eamonn O’neill • 2D ANIMATION & RIGGING Eamonn O’neill, Marah Curran, Mansour Moawad • ARTWORKERS Kristian Andrews, Eamonn O’neill • BACKGROUND DESIGNERS Olga Stern, Kristian Andrews • COMPOSITING Will Eager, Matthew Armitage, James Gaillard, Kristian Andrews