The storyline describes just how Santa came to be. It starts with just a man giving a doll to a small girl and shows how as the years pass, the Santa we know today begins to take shape. The final version of Santa shows him in his traditional red coat getting onto his sleigh with the reindeer, while the elves load up the gifts. It is a creative take on the Santa legend and is interesting to watch the interpretation of each of Santa's stages before turning into the jolly character children enjoy today.
Although the film is only about six minutes, the story stretches over a long period of time beginning in the year 330 AD in what is now Turkey. It is creative but a bit confusing at times. There is no dialogue, but it's fairly clear what is going on. The animation is developed from drawings and they are subtly colored, in muted tones. We see gifts that look like Russian stacking dolls. We see the passage of time in an hour glass. We see a gentleman secretly delivering packages to children and riding in a horse drawn cart through the snow. Footsteps take him to many places. It is all presented as almost a dream, a cherished dream at that. There is a beautiful background of instrumental music that begins slow and picks up speed as the plot develops. The music, by Marc Timon, definitely enhances the film a great deal, drawing the audience along from scene to scene, century to century. This is definitely one of the high points of the film.
The message of this film is to never lose hope and to spread joy.
I give this film 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 18, plus adults. The artistry can be enjoyed by children of multiple ages. This film tells a heartwarming, family-friendly Christmas story and would play well at holiday time in any film festival. Reviewed by Kyla C. and Julie S., KIDS FIRST!
The storyline describes just how Santa came to be. It starts with just a man giving a doll to a small girl and shows how as the years pass, the Santa we know today begins to take shape. The final version of Santa shows him in his traditional red coat getting onto his sleigh with the reindeer, while the elves load up the gifts. It is a creative take on the Santa legend and is interesting to watch the interpretation of each of Santa's stages before turning into the jolly character children enjoy today.
Although the film is only about six minutes, the story stretches over a long period of time beginning in the year 330 AD in what is now Turkey. It is creative but a bit confusing at times. There is no dialogue, but it's fairly clear what is going on. The animation is developed from drawings and they are subtly colored, in muted tones. We see gifts that look like Russian stacking dolls. We see the passage of time in an hour glass. We see a gentleman secretly delivering packages to children and riding in a horse drawn cart through the snow. Footsteps take him to many places. It is all presented as almost a dream, a cherished dream at that. There is a beautiful background of instrumental music that begins slow and picks up speed as the plot develops. The music, by Marc Timon, definitely enhances the film a great deal, drawing the audience along from scene to scene, century to century. This is definitely one of the high points of the film.
The message of this film is to never lose hope and to spread joy.
I give this film 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 18, plus adults. The artistry can be enjoyed by children of multiple ages. This film tells a heartwarming, family-friendly Christmas story and would play well at holiday time in any film festival. Reviewed by Kyla C. and Julie S., KIDS FIRST!
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