NUGGET IS DEAD: A CHRISTMAS STORY
Friday 12 December 2025
8pm Finsbury Park Picturehouse
UK PREMIERE 15+ 87min + Christmas market
Starring: Vic Zerbst, Jenna Owen, Gia Carides, Tara Morice,
Ed Oxenbould, Kerry Armstrong, and Tiriel Mora
Chill the sparkling shiraz and defrost the prawns because the London Australian Film Society is bringing a little Aussie Christmas sunshine to London with its annual Christmas shindig.
Steph (Vic Zerbst) decides to spend Christmas with her fiance's posh Sydney family, instead of her own dysfunctional extended one back in Wollongong.
But the sudden illness of family pooch, Nugget, sends the whole gang into a tailspin, insisting that Steph must come NOW.
Despite dreading her return home, Steph soon realises that blood is way thicker than water, and no matter how hard we try, we can never escape who we truly are.
Directed by former LAFF Cris Jones Debut Feature
prizewinner, Imogen McCluskey (Suburban Wildlife), from a script by co-stars Vic Zerbst and Jenna Owen, it features a sparkling supporting cast, including Gia Carides (My Big Fat Greek Wedding), Tara Morice (Strictly Ballroom), Ed Oxenbould (Paper Planes), Kerry Armstrong (Lantana), and Tiriel Mora (The Castle).
Antipodean streamer Stan has developed a steady reputation for festive flicks over the last few years - including A Sunburnt Christmas, which LAFS screened back in 2023 - and this one is no exception.
A hilarious, heartfelt dramedy - think CRACKERS meets THE CASTLE - this is the perfect warm-up for Christmas!
Plus a Christmas market! Australian snacks, sweets and gifts will be on sale, and a raffle will take place before the screening - prizes include a bottle of sparkling shiraz to help kick start your own Christmas shindig.
With thanks to Easy Tiger, Stan and CBS.
REVIEWS
“...a colourful production that follows the rules of the seasonal genre film to a tee – with an Aussie twist and a dash of queer multiculturalism thrown in for good measure.”
– Phoebe Hart (The Conversation)
WHY WE CHOSE THIS FILM
Laila (LAFF Director):
“only a few weeks ago, someone asked me if the student films we screen ever go on to bigger things - and here's proof. Imogen was our debut director prize winner when she was still at AFTRS & now she's directing films for Stan. We're SO proud. She's an absolute superstar & we can't wait to see her career continue to skyrocket."
Stephen (LAFF Co-Programmer): “After years in the Christmas movie wilderness, Australia has made some excellent ones of late, and Nugget is no exception! A zippy script, great characters, and plenty of great laughs to be had amid all the usual family dramas of a backyard Christmas in the sun!"
FINSBURY PARK PICTUREHOUSE
Unit 1, Cinema LS, 17 City North Place,
Finsbury Park, London N4 3FU
NEAREST TUBE: Finsbury Park
BEST EXIT: City North Place
past M&S on the opposite side of the mall
if you hit the road, you've gone too far
