The Christmas Contest

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

December 1983 •English

The Herdmans – Gladys, Claude, Imogene, Leroy, Ollie and Ralph – are undeniably the worst kids in the history of the world. They lie, steal, cheat, bully and overall terrorize their small community. But this Christmas, they’re taking over their local church Pageant – and they just might unwittingly teach a shocked little town the true meaning of Christmas.

The Lonely Guy

January 1984 •English

A writer for a greeting card company learns the true meaning of loneliness when he comes home to find his girlfriend in bed with another man.

A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa

December 2008 •English

When Gonzo forgets to mail three letters to Santa, he convinces Kermit and the gang to help him deliver the notes to the North Pole. Along the way, they discover that Christmas is the time to be with those you care about most, as they dash home to make a friends Christmas wish come true.

An Actor's Revenge

January 1963 •Japanese

In Edo Japan, a kabuki actor seeks revenge against the three men who drove his parents to their deaths years ago.

A Very Corgi Christmas

November 2019 •English

All Lauren Bradley, a single mom and confirmed workaholic, wants this holiday is a much deserved break. Those hopes are dashed when she runs into fellow single dad Ben who enlists her help in taking care of a cute and cuddly christmas present he plans to give his daughter. Through all the chaos and calls from work, Lauren just might get the best gift of all, the holiday spirit.

L'Eau du Nil

October 1928 •English

Wirsoq, who belongs to the type of cosmopolitan financier, gets into his power a young French aristocrat, Arthur de Sorgepois, and insists that the boy's sister should marry him. The girl is in love with a young artist, Pierre Levannier, who secretly returns her affection, but does not declare himself at this critical moment because he is not rich enough to support a wife.

BAUS: The Ship's Voyage Continues

March 2025 •Japanese

SpongeBob & Sandy's Country Christmas

October 2024 •English

When one of Sandy’s experiments goes awry, the Cheeks family team up to save Christmas in Bikini Bottom. The special features Craig Robinson as Pa Cheeks, Johnny Knoxville as Randy Cheeks, and Grey Delisle as Ma Cheeks, Granny Cheeks, Rosie and Rowdy reprising their roles as Sandy Cheek’s family from the recently released movie Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie.

Anthony

October 2014 •English

Christmas Eve. An enormous explosion tears through Lapland. Santa and his elf, Anthony, have crash-landed in the middle of nowhere on their busiest night.

Frosty Returns

December 1992 •English

Mr. Twitchell, a greedy old businessman, has invented Summer Wheeze: a spray that instantly removes snow and slush! Now Holly has to keep Frosty from melting, and convince everybody that snow's actually a good thing.

The Odd Angry Shot

March 1979 •English

A group of Australian SAS regiment soldiers are deployed to Vietnam around 1967/8 and encounter the realities of war, from the numbing boredom of camp life and long range patrols, raids and ambushes where nothing happens, to the the terror of enduring mortar barrages from an unseen enemy. Men die and are crippled in combat by firefights and booby traps, soldiers kill and capture the enemy, gather intelligence and retake ground only to cede it again whilst battling against the bureaucracy and obstinacy of the conventional military hierarchy. In the end they return to civilization, forever changed by their experiences but glad to return to the life they once knew.

One Night in the Tropics

November 1940 •English

Jim "Lucky" Moore, an insurance salesman, comes up with a novel policy for his friend, Steve: a 'love insurance policy', that will pay out $1-million if Steve does not marry his fiancée, Cynthia. The upcoming marriage is jeopardized by Steve's ex-girlfriend, Mickey, and Cynthia's disapproving Aunt Kitty. The policy is underwritten by a nightclub owner, Roscoe, who sends two enforcers - Abbott and Costello - to ensure that the wedding occurs as planned.

Remember the Night

January 1940 •English

Unexpected love blossoms when an assistant district attorney agrees to take a recidivist shoplifter home so she doesn't have to spend Christmas alone in jail.

Cloudy with a Chance of Christmas

December 2022 •English

When a weather forecaster is asked to host her network's annual snow-cast in the wintry town of Leavenworth live with the network's morning show host and a longtime rival of hers, tension brews and romantic sparks fly between them on air.

Sappy Holiday

December 2022 •English

When a hard-working but uninspired sous chef accidentally discovers her boyfriend is going to propose to her on Christmas Eve, she begins doubting their future together; especially when a handsome maple farmer rescues her from a snowstorm.

S.F.W.

September 1994 •English

An alienated and misanthropic teenager gains sudden and unwanted celebrity status after he's taken hostage by terrorists where his indifference to their threats to kill him makes news headlines.

The Face of Another

July 1966 •Japanese

A businessman with a disfigured face obtains a lifelike mask from his doctor, but the mask starts altering his personality.

The Busy Body

March 1967 •English

Sid Caesar is a bumbling gopher to a mob boss who must recover a fortune in cash stowed in the suit of a corpse.

Akvaariorakkaus

January 1993 •Finnish

Waitress Saara meets handsome journalist Joni, and soon moves in to live with him. Joni tries his best to satisfy Saara sexually but, disturbed by violent lesbian fantasies, she is unable to experience orgasm. Trying to cope with the situation, Saara has another brief affair back in her old home town.

Beatles

August 2014 •Norwegian

At long last, one of the most important novels in Norwegian history will be made into a film. Beatles relates the story of four Oslo boys born in 1951 and hooked on The Beatles, from the time they as seventh graders find themselves on the threshold of the adult world. The film is all about boyish pranks, hopes, disappointments, and of course about pretty girls, hopeless infatuations, drunkenness and parties. The world is changing, and so is the friendship between the boys. But the conclusion is, true friendship endures all - and no band in the world is better than The Beatles.