Het Mooiste van Kerstmis
lenght 26 min.
year 2025
producer Framed Scenes Film Productions
director Rhobynn van Rossen
script Rhobynn van Rossen
As a child in 2008, Tim experiences a warm, loving Christmas with his parents, until his father Mart unexpectedly leaves, under the innocent pretext of “helping Santa.” What Tim does not yet understand is that this departure will shape his entire childhood. The warmth of that Christmas becomes a memory frozen in time.
Twelve years later, in 2020, Tim lives with his mother Karen in the same house, now filled with silence, dust, and emotional distance. The Christmas atmosphere feels incomplete, mirroring the unresolved grief in their home. When Tim discovers a box of old Christmas cards, photos, and a red toy car from his childhood, he begins to piece together the story of his father’s disappearance.
Driven by confusion, anger, and longing, Tim sets out to find his father. This journey leads him to Mart’s new home, where he is confronted with a life his father built without him — a new family, including Maya, Mart’s partner, and their children. Maya represents a quiet but powerful presence in this new household: a woman who has built a life with Mart, unaware of the full emotional weight of his past. Her warmth and normalcy stand in contrast to Tim’s inner turmoil, highlighting the complexity of blended families and unspoken histories.
As Tim struggles to find his place at his father’s table, the past and present collide through symbolic objects, music, and memories. The red toy car becomes a painful reminder of what was lost and what can never fully be reclaimed.
Ultimately, Tim realizes that while reconciliation with his father may be incomplete, healing does not only come from confronting the past — it also comes from choosing where to belong. He returns home to his mother, where the film closes on a quiet but deeply emotional moment of connection. Together, Tim and Karen begin to restore not just their Christmas tree, but their relationship.
Het Mooiste van Kerstmis is a heartfelt story about family, memory, and the courage it takes to face emotional truths. It explores how love can fracture, transform, and — in unexpected ways — find its way back during the most emotionally charged time of the year.
Short film
year 2025
producer Framed Scenes Film Productions
director Rhobynn van Rossen
script Rhobynn van Rossen
description
Het Mooiste van Kerstmis is a tender, emotionally layered Christmas drama about loss, absence, and the fragile paths toward reconciliation. The story follows Tim across two timelines, weaving between his childhood and young adulthood as he uncovers long-buried truths about his family.As a child in 2008, Tim experiences a warm, loving Christmas with his parents, until his father Mart unexpectedly leaves, under the innocent pretext of “helping Santa.” What Tim does not yet understand is that this departure will shape his entire childhood. The warmth of that Christmas becomes a memory frozen in time.
Twelve years later, in 2020, Tim lives with his mother Karen in the same house, now filled with silence, dust, and emotional distance. The Christmas atmosphere feels incomplete, mirroring the unresolved grief in their home. When Tim discovers a box of old Christmas cards, photos, and a red toy car from his childhood, he begins to piece together the story of his father’s disappearance.
Driven by confusion, anger, and longing, Tim sets out to find his father. This journey leads him to Mart’s new home, where he is confronted with a life his father built without him — a new family, including Maya, Mart’s partner, and their children. Maya represents a quiet but powerful presence in this new household: a woman who has built a life with Mart, unaware of the full emotional weight of his past. Her warmth and normalcy stand in contrast to Tim’s inner turmoil, highlighting the complexity of blended families and unspoken histories.
As Tim struggles to find his place at his father’s table, the past and present collide through symbolic objects, music, and memories. The red toy car becomes a painful reminder of what was lost and what can never fully be reclaimed.
Ultimately, Tim realizes that while reconciliation with his father may be incomplete, healing does not only come from confronting the past — it also comes from choosing where to belong. He returns home to his mother, where the film closes on a quiet but deeply emotional moment of connection. Together, Tim and Karen begin to restore not just their Christmas tree, but their relationship.
Het Mooiste van Kerstmis is a heartfelt story about family, memory, and the courage it takes to face emotional truths. It explores how love can fracture, transform, and — in unexpected ways — find its way back during the most emotionally charged time of the year.
 | Saskia E Slaaf | actress (female) |