CHRISTMAS OF THE DEAD | Zombie Action Horror Short Film

Just when you thought it was safe to go back to church. a Sägen Film production in association with Virgo Film When a reluctant confirmand is surprised by an undead horde of malevolent ghouls she is reunited with her absent mother who shows her how to believe in herself and kick ass for the Lord. Written, Directed and Produced by Albin Glasell Cinematography, Editing, VFX and Music by Erik Engbo Sound by Robert Gudbjörnsson Executive Producer - Michael Ohlsson Producers - Agnes Gester, Erik Engbo 3D Lead Animator - Bjarki Kjellsson 3D Modelling - Jenny-Li Levin 3D Modelling - Niki Fölsch Lead Makeup and Hair - Julia Nord Ghoul Makeup - Ellen Rolf Ghoul Priest Makeup - Robin Ahlqvist Makeup and Hair Interns - Mea Ehrnberg and Sara Adolfsson First Assistant Director - Cajsa Wittboldt Ghoul Supervisor - Ceasar Gothman Ghoul Supervisor Assistant - Linus Karlsson Production Designer and Props Master - Alexander Falkenström Costume and Set Dressing - Agnes Gester Props Coordinator and Clapper Loader - Karin Kjellsdottir Gaffer and Beaver Man - Bjarki Script Consultant - Tage Olsson Folklore Consultant - Tommy Kuusela Lilly Bengtsson as “Liv” Agnes Gester as “Mother Elina” Albin Glasell as “Father Mikael” Robin Ahlqvist as “Ghoul Priest” Location Manager and Craft Coordinator - Michael Ohlsson Runner and Behind The Scenes Photographer - Aston Eliasson Craft Assistant - Sofie Nellie Set Nurse - Susanne Johansson Concept Artist - Leia Bjarkadotter This film was funded by our wonderful Kickstarter backers! Kickstarter admins Cajsa Wittboldt, Erik Engbo and Albin Glasell Made with support from Varbergs kommun and Region Halland Thanks to Emma Nordström, Jonas Wolcher, Elvira Lindberg, Sandra Bengtsson, David Lundh and Cindy Stenberg. Catering provided by Björkäng Vägkrog Sponsored by Hotell Gästis and Ica Kvantum Varberg Promo Photography by Mountain Queen Studios A Special Thanks to Tofta Bygdegård, Rosenfredsskolan, Sibbarps Kyrka, Katrinebergs Folkhögskola, Gällarpsstugan and Teater Halland In Loving Memory of George A. Romero, Lucio Fulci and Lars Erik “Kakan” Ohlsson Jerry Niemi as “The Pastor” “Christmas Of The Dead” is rooted in an old Nordic legend known as De Dödas Julotta, “The Christmas Mass Of The Dead.” According to the tale, every soul buried in the churchyard rise from their graves on Christmas Night to attend a ghostly service of their own. The dead do not tolerate uninvited guests. Many stories tell of people who woke up too early and wandered to church before dawn, only to realize that everyone inside was dead or had been dead for generations. The living intruders were chased out by the dead and barely escaped with their lives. The version that primarily inspired this film comes from Norway. In this version of the legend, a young woman rises too early on Christmas morning and unknowingly steps into the service of the dead. A dead relative warns her in the nick of time, and she flees as the dead reach out for her. The next day, only her scarf remains inside the church, torn apart by the dead who nearly caught her. In “Christmas Of The Dead”, the dead follow the same ancient instincts described in folklore. They crawl out from their graves to attend the mass of the dead, driven not by thought, but by ritual; slow, relentless, and loyal to a ceremony they have repeated for centuries. And, just as in the old legends, they cannot stand the presence of the living. Their hunger isn’t for flesh, but for purity of the sacred space, and anyone alive inside that space is seen as a threat. This eerie blend of tradition, superstition, and midwinter dread forms the mythic backbone of “Christmas Of The Dead”, a modern, chaotic, and bloody spin on a legend whispered across the Nordic countries for centuries. Shot on location in Varberg, Sweden © 2025 Sägen Film, All Rights Reserved BEST NATIONAL SHORT FILM LIGHT TILL DARK FANTASTIC FILM FESTIVAL 2026 Örebro, Sweden https://www.sagenfilm.com/   / sagen_film     / sagenfilm   contact: hellosagenfilm@gmail.com #zombiehorror #zombiefilm #zombieshorts