Christmas Comes But Twice Each Year, from Redlynch State College (Australia, 2022), appears in this year's Focus on Ability festival. The short film explores themes of Christmas and perception in a school context, shining a light on experiences tied to cognitive processing and intellectual disability. Through group perspectives and teenage viewpoints it asks how familiar moments are seen and felt, while weather shapes mood and memory. Part of a programme celebrating ability and inclusion, this work invites audiences to listen, look and reflect on the different ways people experience ordinary events.
Good morning students. Good morning Mrs Mary. Today we will learn about the history of Christmas in July. So let's put on our Christmas hats. It was March 2022. It was 20 years ago. Santa was in deep sleep. The elves were working hard in the toy shop. Oh no! Bad weather hey? It's not just bad weather. It's a catastrophe. Santa will not be able to drive his sleigh. No presents. A Christmas calamity. Santa must be warned immediately. Santa. Dangerous weather at Christmas. Sleigh cannot fly. Weather elf. Santa. Santa. Your emergency buzzer. Your emergency buzzer. Who woke me up for my winter hibernation? What on earth could be wrong? It's an email. From weather elf. Dangerous weather on December. My sleigh won't be able to fly. All elves and other Christmas staff to the boardroom for an emergency meeting. Immediately. Please take your seats. It's very bad news. The weather at the end of the year is too dangerous for my sleigh to fly. We can't change for Christmas Santa. Right on a new day. We could perhaps change the date. What date should we go for? July may be the safest time Santa. Christmas in July. I like it. Yes. That's good. Set me up an interview with the United Nations present storm funder. Dangerous weather is expected at the end of the year. My sleigh simply cannot fly. The day of Christmas needs to be changed. What weather system? Well we've got cyclones in Australia. Extreme heat in southern Africa means very thirsty reindeers. Flooding in China means nowhere to land. Dust storms in India will blind the reindeers. Hailstorm in South America could knock us all out cold. Blizzards in Canada could tip my sleigh over. And finally ice storms in the Arctic means takeoff is impossible. How can this be happening? First a pandemic, then the war in Ukraine, and now it's climate catastrophe. I know it's a shock but look on the bright side. It's a change and that is good as a holiday. Okay Santa we'll have to let people know. With that news the whole world started working together to look after their environment. Given that all times something amazing happened. This is unusual. This is weird. What do you mean? Oh look all of the fierce weather systems have calmed down. There's no longer a weather catastrophe predicted. The global weather fiasco has passed. It's a miracle! What? You better tell Santa right away. Yes I'll send him an email right now. Dear Santa there will no longer be cataclysmic weather systems at the end of the year. Who will be up for my hibernation? It's Weaver Elf. The dangerous weather has cleared up at the end of the year. My sleigh can able to fly. All elves and other Christmas stuff to the boardroom. Pronto. It's very strange news. The weather at the end of the year is better. Christmas can be held in December. No not December. Why not? December is the best. Yeah you know what traditionalist humans are. I have an idea. Why don't we have Christmas twice? One in December and one in July. Yeah you know what couple of humans are. They would love to do lots of presents. We'll sprinkle good cheer in July and have the presents in December. And that is exactly what's happened and has been happening ever since. Students have been taking good care of their wonderful one and only beautiful irreplaceable earth. And let's face it that is the biggest Christmas gift of all to everyone all around the planet.
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13 comments
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David See Kee8/12/2022
Great Story from Start to Finish some Stellar performances definitely Stars in the making. My favorite part is the Emergnecy Alarm sound effect Got me laughing ever time Santa Pressed it.
C
Claudia Belcher9/09/2022
Loved watching these talented students - it certainly put a smile on my face. Well done DLC
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Gary Holloway2/09/2022
Very clever 'President Storm Thunder'
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Mary Smith1/09/2022
Well done this is pretty cool
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Brandon V1/09/2022
Love it Awesome work very proud from a previous Redlynch student
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Lucy Pullen29/08/2022
I really enjoyed watching this had the biggest smile on my face Well done love the capitalist humans remark great work
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Jodi MacKenzie29/08/2022
Outstanding performances all round Great teamwork Elves Beautiful portrayals by the main characters and narrator too. What a wonderful message to share with the world. You guys rock
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Donna Toussaint28/08/2022
Love the subject relevance. Stellar performances all round
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Bec Fabris26/08/2022
What a wonderful performance. I couldn't stop watching.
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Helen Stone26/08/2022
Great idea and film
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Gerry Dalton Dalton26/08/2022
What a spectacular effort from the young students. A fabulous movie.
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Carmel Dalton26/08/2022
What an excellent movie. Well done students. It was funny and very professional.
J
Jackie Willmott24/08/2022
What a fantastic movie well done to staff and students in the DLC...
Great Story from Start to Finish some Stellar performances definitely Stars in the making. My favorite part is the Emergnecy Alarm sound effect Got me laughing ever time Santa Pressed it.
Loved watching these talented students - it certainly put a smile on my face. Well done DLC
Very clever 'President Storm Thunder'
Well done this is pretty cool
Love it Awesome work very proud from a previous Redlynch student
I really enjoyed watching this had the biggest smile on my face Well done love the capitalist humans remark great work
Outstanding performances all round Great teamwork Elves Beautiful portrayals by the main characters and narrator too. What a wonderful message to share with the world. You guys rock
Love the subject relevance. Stellar performances all round
What a wonderful performance. I couldn't stop watching.
Great idea and film
What a spectacular effort from the young students. A fabulous movie.
What an excellent movie. Well done students. It was funny and very professional.
What a fantastic movie well done to staff and students in the DLC...