AWN’s latest survey highlights under-the-radar animated shorts currently making their way through the festival circuit or newly available for online viewing – we end the year looking at the 5 charming shorts making up the ‘Animal Tales of Christmas Magic’ feature.
We’re tired. I’m tired. You’re tired. We’re all exhausted by the manufactured instability and division around us. So, for this month’s Binocular Briefs, let’s take a break from the usual weighty, dark shorts about internal and external conflicts. Instead, let’s take a moment to exhale and explore the very charming family feature Animal Tales of Christmas Magic.
This omnibus feature comprises five short films, each created by a different woman animator. Adding to its charm are whimsical “snowy interludes” between each film, crafted by Natalia Chernysheva. You might recall that her short Snowflake was infamously stolen, altered, and misrepresented at festivals - a brazen act that left many in the animation community outraged.
Anyway, I said no dark stuff, so let’s move on.
As the title suggests, Animal Tales of Christmas Magic features different animals - birds, roosters, foxes, whales, chickens - starring in modern tales set in various parts of the world: France, Japan, and the Far North (rumored to be the North Pole, though we can’t confirm that).
First, enjoy the trailer:
The Journey of Santa Claus by Caroline Attia
A flock of birds is migrating, soaring over landscape after landscape. One of the slower birds frequently falls behind, distracted by his curiosity about the sights around him. Eventually, his fascination with the wintry environment causes him to lose track of the flock. He lands by a cabin on a patch of ice. When he sneezes, he not only startles the cabin’s famous, red-suited inhabitant but also causes the chunk of ice to break away and drift off.
To make matters worse, there are only a few days left until Christmas, and the red-suited wonder is counting on this time to prepare for his big moment in the global spotlight.
Can the bird, a fox, and a whale find a way to help the harmonica-toting St. Nick?
This charming tale is ultimately about a quartet of very different beings coming together to find common ground in challenging situations. A heartwarming nod to friendship and collaboration, it’s a delightful story for all ages.
The Little Chick's First Christmas by Ceylan Beyoğlu
The rooster is a big deal. He oversees the hens and chicks, ensuring that egg production continues smoothly - especially for the Christmas celebrations. A little chick, experiencing its first Christmas, follows the rooster around with a mix of admiration and trepidation. However, it soon becomes clear that the cock of the walk has caught a cold and isn’t feeling his best. Concerned, the chick decides to help. Things take a turn when two menacing black birds intrude.
This beautifully designed short is both comic and visually striking. The free-flowing, painterly backgrounds expertly capture the shades of winter, adding to the film’s charm. The editing and comic timing, further enhanced by the absurdly sweet chirps of the hens (so saccharine they might give you diabetes), make the story a delight.
While some might bristle at the depiction of the hens caring for the rooster, the film subtly critiques the stubborn side of masculinity. When pride and ego take over, they inevitably make things more difficult - for everyone.
The Last Christmas Tree by Olesya Shchukina
In a delightful design style reminiscent of the beautiful old Golden Books series, The Last Christmas Tree tells the story of a little girl who persistently pesters her phone-distracted mother to get a Christmas tree for their apartment. Together, they venture into the forest, only to discover there aren’t any trees left. Even the animals are distraught over the stump-dominated landscape. After all, how can anyone celebrate Christmas without trees? And how can Santa leave gifts if there’s no Christmas tree!?
When the animals finally manage to secure a tree of their own, they are understandably frustrated when the mother and daughter come seeking one as well. They refuse to sacrifice their precious tree - dammit. But when a small disturbance occurs, the mother and the animals must learn to work together.
Beneath the visual and narrative charm lies a pointed commentary on deforestation and environmental issues. Is the relentless destruction of trees for a single day’s holiday really a smart idea? The Last Christmas Tree also delivers a subtle jab at distracted parents, too consumed by their devices to be present and focused on what truly matters in their fleeting lives.
Shoot, sorry, I got all dark and serious there. Don’t worry, though - it all ends on an “okay-ish” note. The mother learns from the child. Humans learn from animals. Everyone learns from nature.
The Tanuki and the Christmas Surprise by Haruna Kishi
Two brothers, living with their parents in a winter cabin, spend their day running through the forest, building a snow fort, and collecting branches. During their search, the curious and seemingly fearless siblings stumble upon a trapped animal. After rescuing it, however, they find themselves lost as a blizzard begins to rage. Amid their confusion and fear, they encounter a strange young girl wandering in the woods.
Tanuki and the Christmas Surprise, the most dialogue-driven of the collection, explores similar themes to the other shorts - ultimately highlighting our need to respect and remain curious about nature and others. Adding to its charm is a touch of magical realism in the form of the mysterious girl living in the woods.
As someone once said, appearances can be deceiving - but not always in a bad way.
The Animals’ Great Celebration by Camille Alméras
In the final story, dominated by linocut-inspired designs and an array of subtle blue shades, a young lynx follows the other animals to see the Northern Lights. However, when she falls behind, she gets lost and encounters more than a little trouble.
Sometimes, we have to stumble before we learn to walk. Life will always throw some crap our way, but it’s fleeting - like snow, here one moment and gone the next.
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Animal Tales of Christmas Magic is a refreshing alternative to the endless barrage of sensory assaults masquerading as holiday films each year. The dialogue is sparse. There are no barrages of insipid songs. There’s no over-explaining or treating the audience like a gaggle of twits.
This collection of five shorts stands out for its thoughtful and playful exploration of Christmas from a variety of perspectives. At its heart, it’s a celebration of cooperation, friendship, and all the things Christmas is truly supposed to be about - rather than the consumer - driven stress fest it has become.
Beyond that, Animal Tales of Christmas Magic serves as a gentle reminder, not just in these discombobulating times but always, of the enduring importance of compassion, gentleness, and cooperation.
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Animal Tales of Christmas Magic is produced by the French company Les Valseurs and co-produced by Luftkind in Germany. It is the first animated film for a young audience to be co-produced by Arte in France. The project has also received support from several regional funds in France and Germany, as well as from the CNC and the FFA.
Four studios collaborated to produce the animation: Pulp Studio in Paris, Amopix in Strasbourg, Gaoshan on Réunion Island, and Fabian&Fred in Hamburg, Germany. The film premiered at the Annecy Festival in 2024 as part of the official selection, out of competition, in the newly introduced Annecy Presents section.
A well-known figure in the world of independent animation, writer, author & curator Chris Robinson is the Artistic Director of the Ottawa International Animation Festival.
