Denise Petski
EXCLUSIVE: An Almost Christmas Story, the third and final installment in Alfonso Cuarón’s holiday shorts collection, is set for premiere this fall on Disney+.
Directed by David Lowery and produced by Cuarón, the animated short film is inspired by the true events of a tiny owl, Rocky – short for Rockefeller, found and rescued from the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree in 2020.
An Almost Christmas Story follows Moon, a curious young owl who unexpectedly finds himself stuck in a Christmas tree destined for Rockefeller Plaza. In his attempts to escape the bustling city, Moon befriends a lost young girl named Luna. Together, they embark on a heartwarming adventure, discovering the magic of the holiday season and forming an unlikely bond as they journey back home to their parents.
The voice cast includes Cary Christopher as “Moon,” newcomer Estella Madrigal as “Luna,” Jim Gaffigan as “Papa Owl,” Mamoudou Athie as “Pelly,” Alex Ross Perry as “Dave The Dog,” Gianna Joseph as “Peaky,” Phil Rosenthal as “Punt,” with Natasha Lyonne as “Pat,” and John C. Reilly as “The Folk Singer” who performs four songs in the short, two of which are original songs.
Cuarón’s first short, Le Pupille, earned an Oscars nomination in 2022, and last year’s The Shepherd was shortlisted, both of which were live action.
An Almost Christmas Story is produced by Disney Branded Television and Cuarón’s Esperanto Filmoj, in association with Titmouse and Maere Studios; animation services by 88 Pictures. The creative team includes Lowery (director, screenplay and producer), Cuarón (producer and story), Gabriela Rodríguez (producer), Jack Thorne (story and screenplay), Nicholas Ashe Bateman (creative designer) and Daniel Hart (composer).