Letters to Santa

Christmas Eve in Warsaw and several stories brushing against each other: a lonely radio presenter, a father who cannot reach his son, a taxi driver, a boy, and letters on their way to the post office. Mitja Okorn builds it as an ensemble comedy across one night and the shape comes plainly from British Christmas films. The difference is local: the humour is Polish, the characters are more worn, and happy endings are less guaranteed. It was the most watched film in Poland in 2011 and stayed in cinemas for a hundred and thirty days, a run exceeded in the country's history only by Titanic. A long series followed. Who it is for: viewers who like Christmas films and multi-strand romantic comedy. Who it is not for: anyone wanting an original structure, since the template is familiar and the film does not hide it.