Icelandic rehab patients meet the REAL Santa. He's not checking his list twice.
It is the night before Christmas and all through the decrepit school house nothing is stirring, not even a mouse. Well that is not exactly the truth, but what has happened in this weather beaten building in the barren Icelandic tundra is more akin to cruel fantasy than stark reality. A few days ago the participants of an experimental rehab clinic came there in order to cast out their inner demons, stay away from temptation and finally discover a little about their sober selves. That didn’t go quite according to plan, but they discovered Santa was real.
Practical Effects
Grotesque creature design on microbudget.
Direction
Ten minutes of escalating dread.
Director
Árni Þór Jónsson
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Icelandic folklore features Gryla and the Yule Lads, monstrous figures who punish misbehaving children—this film taps into that darker Christmas tradition.
The 10-minute format forces immediate stakes; there's no room for character redemption arcs, only primal survival.
IS
