Amazon Prime Video's Elf Me movie dropped on the service, ringing in the 2023 holiday season for plenty of families at home.
This festive affair features an incredible cast of mainstays of Italian cinema, offering up an international flare for Prime Video subscribers looking for a new holiday hit stateside.
The film follows Trip, a longtime builder Elf in Santa's workshop who enjoys building bizarre and dangerous contraptions as opposed to toys.
After Trip crosses paths with a young child named Elia, he is forced to change his ways as the pair try to save Christmas from an overbearing businessman.
Every Main Actor & Character in Elf Me
Lillo Petrolo - Trip
Elf Me's Trip is brought to life by Italian actor Lillo Petrolo. Trip has a mind for the bizarre, creating all sorts of insane contraptions that are most often deemed too dangerous for the kids of Earth. After a freak accident with Santa's Present Blaster, Trip is sent to the real world where he must team up with Elia to get him home before Christmas.
Petrolo is the former frontman of the Italian rock group Latte & i Suoi Derivati but has made a name for himself on the screen as of late with appearances in titles such as The Great Beauty, D.N.A.: Decisamente non adatti, and Un Natale stupefacente.
Federico Ielapi - Elia
Federico Ielapi plays Elia, the young boy at the heart of Elf Me's story. This downtrodden pre-teen is not feeling the spirit of Christmas as he watches his mother's toy store slowly fail; however, after crossing paths with one of Santa's elves, he hatches a plan to save his mom's business and the holiday season along with it.
Ielapi has worked in Italian cinema since he was four years old, having already built up quite the resume. Some of his past credits include Home Sweet Rome and Quo vado?
Anna Foglietta - Ivana
Ivana (played by Anna Foglietta) is Elia's single mother who is just trying to get by to make a life for her son. She is the owner of an old-fashioned toy store known for its marionettes and classic wooden toys. Her business comes under threat, however, thanks to the villainous Ciocca, a rival salesman trying to put her out of business.
Foglietta's other work includes Perfect Strangers, The American, and Escort in Love.
Claudio Santamaria - Ciocca
Claudio Santamaria plays Ciocca, a "shark" of a businessman (as Ivana puts it). Ciocca is known around town for trying to poach business from other local townsfolk to make a quick buck. However, this Christmas, he is going after Elia's mother's toy story, stealing her business with the 'hot' toy of the moment.
Santamaria will be familiar to fans of Daniel Craig's Casino Royale and The Last Kiss.
Francesco Liso - Vittorio
Vittorio (played by Francesco Liso) is the village bully, known for picking on Elia and his friends. His father is a well-known businessman in town, hellbent on putting Elia's family toy store out of business.
Elf Me marks Liso's major acting debut.
Linda Zampaglione - Giada
Linda Zampaglione's Giada is one of Vittorio's crew. She is not nearly as cruel to Elia and his friends as some of the other kids, perhaps even harboring a soft spot for Elia himself.
Zampaglione can also be seen in The Well, Time Is Up, and Nove lune e messa.
Caterina Guzzanti - Brina
Running the North Pole is not easy. Thankfully, Santa has Brina by his side. Brought to life by Caterina Guzzanti is one of Jolly Ol' Saint Nicholas' high-ranking elves, helping to organize the North Pole and make sure everyone is kept in check.
Guzzanti is best known for appearances in Just Married and Tutta la vita davanti.
Cosimo Mazza - Orazio
Cosimo Mazza's Orazio is a member of Vittorio's vicious gang of pre-teens. He - along with Vittorio and a few others - is constantly at odds with Elias and his friends, often chasing them through town over some disagreement.
Elf Me is Mazza's only major acting credit.
Giulietta Rebeggiani - Marta
One of Elia's closest friends in town is Giulietta Rebeggiani's Marta. Her, Elia, and Fabio hang out constantly, and while the two boys are a little more excitable than she is, Marta's childlike wonder still comes out from time to time.
Rebeggiani's other work includes Bad Tales, Storie sospese, and Caro Diario.
Vincenzo Sebastiani - Fabio
Fabio (brought to life by Vincenzo Sebastiani) is one of Elia's best friends in the village. The two young boys hang out all the time, and just like Elia, his family is not as well off as some of the other kids they interact with.
Sebastiani is best known for appearances in Tre sorelle, Ricchi de fantasia, and Help! My In-Laws Are Vampires!.
Fabio Rovazzi - North Pole Speaker
Brought to life by Fabio Rovazzi, the North Pole Speaker keeps all the elves within Santa's workshop well informed. His voice can be heard constantly across the North Pole, offering news updates and public addresses in the lead-up to Christmas.
Rovazzi is a well-known Italian stand-up comedian, having previously appeared in Don Matteo, Il vegetale, and Untraditional.
Claudio David - Elf That Reads Numbers
Seen early in the film is Claudio David as Elf That Reads Numbers. He can be heard announcing those waiting in line when audiences are introduced to Trip for the first time, as the elves are given their yearly chance to present their inventions to Santa Claus himself.
David's only other credited role is as Cyclone in The Last Dragon.
Giorgio Pasotti - Elia's Father
Giorgio Pasotti plays Elia's Father, only seen in a brief glimpse about midway through the film thanks to Trip's Biloveculars. After leaving Elia and his mother, Elia is determined that if he can help get the family toy store up and running to its full potential, he can mend his parents' relationship.
Paotti's past credits include Abbi Fede, After Midnight, and L'aria salata.
Chiara Vallo - Elia's Father's Wife
While Elia thinks his father is just waiting to come back into the young boy's life along with his mother, Trip's Biloveulars reveal his father has completely moved on and started a new life with a new wife (played by Chiara Vallo).
Vallo can also be seen in 2018's I'll Come Too.
Claudio Santamaria - Santa Claus
Claudio Santamaria (who also plays the dastardly Ciocca) brings to life the big man himself, Santa Claus. While only appearing in a vocal role, the body of Santa can be seen as Trip pitches Father Christmas on some of his latest inventions early in the film.
Santamaria will be known to North American viewers for his appearance in Casino Royale but has also popped up in Italian hits like Romanzo Criminale and They Call Me Jeeg Robot.
Elf Me is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
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