What would you do if you knew the world was about to end? That’s a loaded question, to be sure, with an interminable global pandemic that won’t end and a climate crisis that already started decades ago. Whether the doomsday clock has yet to tick or has already tolled remains up for debate, but the proximity of apocalypse looms large in lots of recent films and TV. In her feature film debut, “Silent Night,” writer/director Camille Griffin envisions what a group of British friends would do in the wake of imminent doom. Her hypothesis? They’d keep soldering on, even if the world’s end comes up and slaps them in the face.
Here’s the film’s official synopsis:
In true British fashion, (while the rest of the world faces impending doom), a group of old friends reunite to celebrate Christmas in the comfort of an idyllic country home. Burdened with the inconvenience of mankind’s imminent destruction, they adopt a stiff upper lip, crack open another bottle of prosecco and continue with their festivities. But no amount of stoicism can replace the courage needed for their last night on earth.
Keira Knightley leads the cast of “Silent Night” which also includes Matthew Goode, Roman Griffin Davis, Annabelle Vallis, and Lily-Rose Depp. The film also stars Ṣọpé Dìrísù, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Lucy Punch, Rufus Jones, and Trudie Styler.
“Silent Night’ had its world premiere at TIFF earlier this year in September (read our review of it here). Even though this is her directorial debut, Griffin already has two more feature films on the way. The first is another project that stars Knightley, while the other is a sci-fi film for Netflix, tentatively dated for next year.
Usher in the holiday season, but hopefully not the end of the world, when “Silent Night” premieres exclusively on AMC+ on December 3. Check out the film’s trailer below.