A Christmas ad so gut wrenching it brought a tear to my eye the first time I watched it. Moments so beautifully collected by Hector Dockrill in the run up to Christmas, they encapsulate everything so warm and cosy that you look forward to. Whilst a typical few scenes of Christmas play out, with mum watching her daughter perform a Christmas carol at school, or read a cosy book before bed, the supers perfectly mislead the audience. Meanwhile a 'Merry Christmas' in the park reminds the audience something else is happening here.
Christmas, it’s been and gone… For good reason. A razor sharp cut to a contrasting cold, gloomy sequence that hangs just long enough to land the stark reality of abysmal living conditions, this strong family has lived through. Mums performance here really nails how tough this journey has been. Whilst the Sliced window fixed with sellotape lands what’s really happening in previous scenes.
The cough wasn’t a christmas cold, the heater wasn’t for warmth, the candles on the widow ledge wern’t to keep cosy. it’s a family making do with what they have available. in conditions none of us woul want to live in.
The pace picks up, the camera runs towards the family, and the daughter darts upstairs to her new room with all the elation you'd expect in a Christmas campaign. Mum looks on in with all the strength and resilience like she's won the battle. Christmas didn't really matter and it won't for a lot of people, there's much bigger things to worry about for some.
If you’re dead inside, don’t worry I’ll probably cry every-time I watch this. What a beautiful film.