Passion Pictures Touching Short Reflects on Awkward Christmas Reunions in Times of Covid

For their now traditional in-house animated Christmas film, Passion Pictures has produced a comedic but moving short, The New Normal, directed by Anna Mantzaris. Reflecting on the impact the last two years of the pandemic has had on all of us and our personal relationships, the film takes Anna’s signature style to once again tackle a subject that could be difficult to broach. 

The film features a young man, arriving home for Christmas with his family, awkwardly trying out various socially-distant greetings with his father before settling on a hug. It’s a moment we’ve either all experienced or can anticipate, how comfortable will we feel hugging our loved ones, maybe for the first time in a long time? Even in todays open society, sharing personal anxieties and struggles can feel difficult, that’s why Passion has chosen to partner with the New Normal Charity for this years film.  

The New Normal is a peer-to-peer support charity that connects people through their grief and mental health. Founded in 2018 TNN feel that the best form of therapy is to talk to others with similar life experiences. TNN run a diverse range of free, open and non-judgemental spaces to talk, and if you would prefer, listen.

To find out more about the charity and, if you can, to donate visit here.

“Grief is an incredibly isolating thing. When we experience severe trauma we often feel we are completely alone however we believe at The New Normal Charity that if there is one, there is two. Connecting people together shows you there are others who understand how you feel and are empathetic to your circumstances. It’s a wonderful way to explore what you are going through and better understand your journey.” - Ben May, co-founder of the New Normal