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This is a New York drama with such a relaxed pace that it has taken a decade to reach the UK’s cinema screens. First released in the US in 2015, it’s a micro-budget first feature from debut filmmaker Charles Poekel, set almost entirely on a 24-hour pop-up Christmas tree stall. Poekel’s style is far too genuinely independent and unaffected to get slushy or sentimental about Christmas; through his lens Christmas tree lights flash like police lights. But with its subtle approach, he pitches his film just right for a modest dose of festive warmth.

A Weary Seller Amid the Brooklyn Cold

Kentucker Audley stars as Noel (someone had in the film to joke about his name before I twigged). Noel is back for his fifth year peddling Christmas trees in Brooklyn, standing outside in the freezing cold and sleeping in a barely warmer caravan stationed beside the trees. A few customers inquire after the girl assisting him last year. But this year Noel is alone, heartbroken and on the night shift.

There’s an observational quality to many of the scenes, with customers asking pointless random questions. A customer wants the same Christmas tree as the Obamas (this is 2014). Noel looks numb with cold in body and spirit; he’s weary and disillusioned, though Audley’s subtle performance makes it clear that he wasn’t always like this.

Understated Moments and Glimmers of Hope

Frankly, not much happens. Noel comes to the aid of a woman, Lydia (Hannah Gross), who has passed out drunk on a bench. She reappears later in some genuinely moving scenes as Noel travels through New York, making tree deliveries – and these sequences could spark a little flicker of good cheer even in the most cynical viewer. Poekel has not directed a feature since this, which is a shame – you can’t beat it for authenticity and fluidity, and it’s filmed on gorgeously textured 16mm film.

The picture of quiet charm and authentic mood, capturing the loneliness and fleeting warmth of the season.

Christmas, Again arrives in UK cinemas from 12 December.