Holiday Shorts
7 Episodes
A stocking stuffer of holiday shorts captures both the magic of the season and the melancholy of what can be the loneliest time of year. From a cozy stop-motion treasure (A CHRISTMAS DREAM) to striking early works by renowned auteurs like Lynne Ramsay (GASMAN), these by turns festive, funny, and poignant films are proof that sometimes small gifts are the best of all.
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11:02Episode 1
A Christmas Dream
Episode 1
Directed by Karel Zeman • 1945 • Czechoslovakia
This early short from 1945 showcases the technical skill, wit, and creativity of director Karel Zeman.
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Gasman
Episode 3
Directed by Lynne Ramsay • 1998 • United Kingdom
Starring James Ramsay, Lynne Ramsay Jr., Jackie QuinnLynne Ramsay displays her photographer’s eye for striking compositions in this woozily sensorial Christmastime snapshot of a fractured family, an early expression of the complicated parent-chil...
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16:49Episode 4
Bad Night for the Blues
Episode 4
Directed by Chris Shepherd • 2010 • United Kingdom
It’s a holiday to remember—or not—when a young man joins his dotty elderly aunt for a Christmas party at her local Conservative Club, where the wine is flowing, the bingo is heated, and the cracks in the genteel facade start to show.
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13:45Episode 5
Lady of the Night
Episode 5
Directed by Marin Håskjold • 2017 • Norway
Starring Jonas Strand Gravli, Sverre KvammeThe dynamics between friends are challenged when Martin arrives at a Christmas party wearing a dress. As hidden desires come forth, the evening becomes an exploration of gender roles.
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13:58Episode 6
A New Year
Episode 6
Directed by George Sikharulidze • 2018 • Georgia
Starring Eka Demetradze, Giorgi Bandzeladze, Demetre GratiashviliIn this poignantly understated portrait of everyday resilience, a mother and son face a difficult holiday season when the patriarch of the household announces he is leaving to join ...
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08:43Episode 7
Melting Snow
Episode 7
Directed by Janah Elise Cox • 2021 • United States
Two tons of snow—flown from New Hampshire to Puerto Rico in 1952 in order to “gift” Puerto Ricans a “white Christmas”—become a metaphor for the colonialist paternalism of America’s relationship to Puerto Rico.