New Showbiz

You are here:
Christmas

Christmas

2009

Director

Sebastián Lelio

Runtime

99 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

Alejandro and Aurora, two young students, leave Santiago and are on their way to spend Christmas with family in Aurora. At the foot of the Andes, the frustrations of Alejandro and Aurora’s doubts about her sexual identity cause tension. The two teens are on the verge of collapse when they discover the presence of a young girl, Alicia, a fragile girl of sixteen years who has fled her home. Gathered around an improvised Christmas tree, Alejandro and Aurora are fascinated by the enigmatic Alicia, who is becoming the object of their desire.

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

6.7/10

Good

Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Good

The film centers on Aurora’s internal conflicts regarding her sexual identity. This questioning serves as a primary driver of the dramatic tension rather than a secondary subplot.

Gender Representation

Good

Aurora is granted significant psychological agency and complexity. The interpersonal dynamics prioritize emotional vulnerability over rigid, traditional masculine or feminine archetypes.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Fair

The story offers a localized, non-Anglo-centric perspective by being set in Chile. While the cast is ethnically homogeneous, it avoids a Western-normative lens.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Good

Christmas serves as a backdrop for isolation rather than traditional religious celebration. The narrative uses the holiday to critique the stability of the traditional family unit.

Disability Representation

Minimal

There is no significant evidence regarding the portrayal of physical or neurodivergent disabilities in this work.

Strengths

  • Centering sexual identity exploration as a core narrative driver.
  • Subverting traditional holiday tropes to explore systemic fragility.
  • Providing a non-Anglo-centric, localized South American perspective.
  • Prioritizing psychological agency and emotional intelligence in female characters.

Areas for Improvement

  • Lack of ethnic diversity within the cast.
  • Absence of representation for physical or neurodivergent disabilities.

AI Analysis

Sebastián Lelio’s direction focuses on the deconstruction of social frameworks and the nuances of desire. The film excels at using identity politics to drive its central drama, particularly through Aurora's journey. The narrative succeeds in subverting traditional holiday tropes, replacing festive warmth with themes of displacement and fragility. This approach provides a more complex look at human connection. While the film offers a strong South American perspective, the cast lacks ethnic variety. The focus remains heavily on psychological and sexual identity rather than broader social diversity.

How are these scores produced? →

Rate this Movie

No rating selected
Use arrow keys to select a rating from 1 to 5 stars
Optional text review, maximum 2000 characters
Tip: Wrap spoilers with ||double pipes|| to hide them
0/2000 characters
You must be signed in to submit a rating

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts on this movie!

Use the rating form above to leave a star rating and optional review.