‘An Almost Christmas Story’ Trailer: David Lowery’s Animated Short Is a Yuletide Ode to Stop-Motion

Disney dropped the official trailer for “ An Almost Christmas Story ,” the animated Yuletide short from director David Lowery (“Mother Mary”) and producer Alfonso Cuarón (“Disclaimer”), premiering November 15 on Disney+. The short is inspired by the true events of a tiny owl rescued from New York City’s Rockefeller Center Christmas tree in 2020.

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The trailer reveals Moon, a curious young owl who unexpectedly finds himself stuck in a tree destined for Rockefeller Plaza. Moon befriends a lost girl named Luna in his attempts to escape the bustling city (including flying chases and dashing through the subway). Together, they embody the spirit of the holiday season and form an unlikely bond as they journey back home to their parents. (A screening and Q&A with Lowery will take place October 20 at the seventh annual Animation Is Film Festival at the TCL Chinese Theatres in Hollywood).

“An Almost Christmas Story,” which is animated in a lovely, handcrafted, stop-motion style, is produced by Disney Branded Television and Cuarón’s Esperanto Filmoj, in association with Titmouse and Maere Studios, and with 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).

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Meanwhile, 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, Natasha Lyonne as Pat, and John C. Reilly as The Folk Singer, who performs four songs in the short, two of them original compositions.

The animated short marks the final installment in Cuarón’s curated trilogy devoted to Christmas. It follows last year’s Oscar-shortlisted “The Shepherd,” about an RAF pilot (Ben Radcliffe) in peril flying across the North Atlantic on Christmas Eve, and Oscar-nominated “Le Pupile” (2022), about rebellious girls at a Catholic boarding school before Christmas , directed by Alice Rohrwacher.