Martin Henderson has returned to New Zealand for Home By Christmas, the new feature film by Gaylene Preston based on her parents' wartime marriage, now shooting in Wellington.

Home By Christmas is written, directed and produced by Gaylene Preston, co-produced by Sue Rogers (Forgotten Silver, Heaven, When Strangers Appear aka Shearer's Breakfast) and executive produced by Nigel Hutchinson (Goodbye Pork Pie). Martin Henderson has returned to New Zealand for Home By Christmas, the new feature film by Gaylene Preston based on her parents' wartime marriage, now shooting in Wellington.

Home By Christmas is written, directed and produced by Gaylene Preston, co-produced by Sue Rogers (Forgotten Silver, Heaven, When Strangers Appear aka Shearer's Breakfast) and executive produced by Nigel Hutchinson (Goodbye Pork Pie).Henderson, nominated for an AFI Award for Little Fish, in which he starred opposite Cate Blanchett and Sam Neill, is soon to be seen in the critically acclaimed Battle in Seattle, opposite Charlize Theron, Woody Harrelson, Ray Liotta and Michele Rodriguez. His other films include The Ring, Torque, Smokin' Aces and Bride and Prejudice.

Home By Christmas is a true story of romance, secrets and terrible adventure in which Ed Preston (Martin Henderson), on his way home from rugby practice in 1940, joins the NZ Army to go to World War II. His new wife, Tui (Chelsie Preston-Crayford), is pregnant and distraught, but he tells her not to worry, he'll be home by Christmas. And so he is - four and a half years later - after escaping from a prison camp in Italy. But while Ed is away, Tui falls in love with another man (Jeremy Randerson) and her dilemma is heart-wrenching.

Winner of 2007 NZ Screen Awards best performance in a short film for Fog, Chelsie Preston-Crayford, recently seen as Betsy in Show of Hands and Jenny in Eagle Vs Shark, is director Gaylene Preston's daughter. In a role that could only be hers, Chelsie plays her own grandmother, Tui, as a young woman.

Also starring is Tony Barry, best known to New Zealand audiences as John in Geoff Murphy's iconic Goodbye Pork Pie, and soon to be seen in New Zealand cinemas in his most recent film, Baz Luhrmann's Australia. Barry plays Ed Preston as an old man telling his war stories.

Jeremy Randerson makes his feature film debut as Ralph, the town photographer who captures Tui's heart. He played Grant in the critically acclaimed television series The Insider's Guide to Happiness and has worked extensively in theatre, comedy and short films.

Locations for Home By Christmas include Wellington Railway Station, supplied to the film company by KiwiRail, as the scene of Ed's homecoming reunion with Tui and the son he has never seen.

Financed by the New Zealand Film Commission, TVNZ, NZ on Air and The Wellington Company, the film is produced by Doublehead Films and will be distributed in New Zealand by Metropolis Films, with overseas sales handled by NZ Film. Cinematographer is Alun Bollinger (River Queen, Perfect Strangers, Heavenly Creatures), editor Paul Sutorius (Bread and Roses, Ruby & Rata) and composer is Jan Preston (Illustrious Energy, Pictures).

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