Come home to where your dreams began.|Nov. 26, 2021|United States | United Kingdom|98 Min.|R
Genre: Comedy;Drama;Romance
Description: In the 1990s, in England, a witch leaves her child, Earwig, at St. Morwald’s Home for Children. The matron of the home decides that the name Earwig is unsuitable for a child and renames her Erica Wigg. Years later, Earwig grows into a lively and headstrong 10-year-old who enjoys her life at the orphanage. She feels comfortable there, especially since everyone tends to do as she wishes. She is happy living with her friend Custard and has no desire to be adopted.
One day, a peculiar couple named Bella Yaga and Mandrake adopts Earwig against her will. Upon arriving at their home, Bella Yaga reveals that she is a witch and explains that she adopted Earwig solely for “an extra pair of hands” to assist with household chores. Earwig agrees to help on the condition that Bella Yaga teaches her magic in return. Earwig begins preparing ingredients for spells and cleaning the workroom. However, growing tired of the work, she attempts to leave the house, only to discover that all exits have been magically sealed by Mandrake. Her frustration deepens as Bella Yaga refuses to teach her magic.
One night, Earwig stumbles upon tapes from an old band called Earwig and learns that Bella Yaga’s cat familiar, Thomas, can speak. Together, they secretly enter the workroom to create a spell that makes them resistant to magic, rendering Bella Yaga’s punishments ineffective. They also craft a spell to give Bella Yaga a literal “extra pair of hands” on her body, hoping it will free Earwig from her chores.
The spell works, but Bella Yaga becomes furious upon discovering her new hands. In retaliation, she casts a spell to summon magical worms that appear in Earwig’s room. Thanks to Earwig’s magical resistance, the worms pose no threat. Earwig disposes of the worms by sending them through a hole in the wall, but this action angers Mandrake. Amid the chaos, Earwig breaks into Mandrake’s room and uncovers a surprising revelation: both he and Bella Yaga were once members of the band Earwig.
Cast director: Mary Lambert
Cast actor: Brooke Shields, Cary Elwes, Vanessa Grasse, Suanne Braun, Lee Ross, Mark Fleischmann, Andi Osho, Drew Barrymore, Eilidh Loan, Stephen Oswald
Original name: A Castle for Christmas