Directed by Peter Herro, the holiday adventure Nutmeg & Mistletoe wrapped production in Los Angeles this week, with Essential Film Group launching world sales at the EFM in Berlin.
Maia Kealoha (Lilo & Stitch) takes on the role of Alma, a young girl who pens a heartfelt letter to Santa. Instead of asking for gifts, she pleads for help, as her town has lost its Christmas spirit. Santa responds by sending two quirky elves disguised as humans: Nutmeg (Sarah Jeffery), the clever but reputation-conscious inventor, and Mistletoe (Madeleine Arthur), the impulsive, exuberant free spirit. Their misadventures in small-town life lead them to realize what Alma already believed: joy multiplies when shared.
The film features Madeleine Arthur as Mistletoe and Sarah Jeffery as Nutmeg, joined by Nia Vardalos and Maia Kealoha. The ensemble also includes Cedric Yarbrough (Reno 911), Jeff Meacham (Black-ish), Angelique Cabral (Life in Pieces), Tyler Barnhardt (13 Reasons Why), Arianna Rivas (Black Phone 2), and Reid Miller (Joe Bell).
The 2026 holiday film Nutmeg & Mistletoe is not adapted from a book. Although T.L. Martin released a romance novel of the same title in 2025, the two works are unrelated. Martin’s novel—part of the Atlanta Strikers series—centers on a billionaire sports romance between a soccer star and a PR professional, while the movie follows an elf-themed storyline.
Charlie Cleveland noted, “After creating and designing video games for 25 years, it’s been incredibly inspiring and refreshing to make something totally different: a Christmas comedy! Film production has such a rich history, and it’s been a thrill to work with some of the most talented crew we could find anywhere in the world here in Hollywood. We hope to spread laughter and Christmas joy to the world when it releases in Christmas 2026!”
The feature comes from director Peter Herro (WTF!) and writers Jennifer Bascom and Deborah Dodge. Producers are Julia Knox (Gringo Latino), Stacy Jorgensen (Color Out Of Space), and Charlie Cleveland.
Jorgensen said: “As Los Angeles based producers, we are absolutely thrilled to bring production jobs and Christmas spirit to LA with the generous support of Charlie Cleveland and the California Tax Incentive. We have loved every minute of shooting in LA with our immensely talented cast and crew, and we can’t wait to share Nutmeg & Mistletoe with audiences everywhere”.
