If you liked Angela’s Ashes, an autobiographical novel by Franck McCourt also adapted into a film, then you should enjoy the animated film Angela’s Christmas, based on the work of the same Irish author. This show, entirely conceived in animation, is far less dramatic than Angela’s Ashes. Designed for the whole family, it could well immerse you in the magic of Irish Christmas… whatever your age!
Angela’s Christmas
Franck McCourt has always been keen to pay tribute to his mother Angela. This homage is reflected in the many anecdotes in his writings, recounting both his childhood and his adult life.
Although her mother suffered many tragedies (see Angela’s Ashes), she also experienced moments of grace and pure poetry.
This is precisely what the animated film “Angela’s Christmas” focuses on, recounting one of those moments when Angela was a child.
She lives in the slums of Limerick, Ireland, and goes to church with her family on Christmas Eve. When her eyes meet the baby Jesus in the crib, she gets a crazy idea: she’s got to warm this baby up…
A beautiful story that lasts just 30 minutes, but will plunge you into the heart of the cold, poverty-stricken Irish city of Limerick. The little girl is touchingly innocent and kind-hearted.
She’ll do everything in her power to steal the plaster baby Jesus, take him home and warm him under a blanket against her. A lovely, poetic moment that reminds us that Christmas can be magical and poetic, even when you have nothing.
So don’t expect a story as dramatic as Angela’s Ashes, where we follow the dramatic daily life of adult Angela, abandoned by an alcoholic husband, struggling to survive the prevailing poverty of Limerick with her children. Angela’s Christmas is for the whole family, and is much lighter and more poetic.
The animation is sublime and perfectly realized. We’re soon immersed in a fairly faithful recreation of Limerick, and the charm of each character is worth the detour.
If the show takes your fancy, it’s available on the red-letter platform Netflix. A second episode was even produced the following year, entitled“Angela’s Christmas 2“. If you enjoyed the first opus, you’ll want to keep the pleasure going!
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