As “cuffing season” comes around and Sonomans start to look for loved ones to keep warm with, Christmas movies are a great way to end a cold day and are especially popular around this time. This Santa season, actress Kristen Stewart gives us a modern look on an “imperfect” family with her performance in yule-tide romantic comedy “Happiest Season.”

This film has all the Christmas vibes and is relatable for many families in America. Stewart plays the role of Abby, whose partner Harper, played by Mackenzie Davis, has yet to come out to her family and tries to hide who she is from them. 

The feature has a wide range of cast members and strong LGBTQ female leads. Although the movie has been labeled as a lesbian holiday movie, Stewart comments in an interview with Variety, “It’s just presented in a way that is very conversely different to something that feels afraid or angry. It feels forward and open…it doesn’t have to be like this overwrought thing in order to be politicized!”

It was heartwarming to see representation in a classically straight dominated movie genre. Many “Christmas classics” have changed what modern families look like over the years under the comedic guise of the “mistake-making family” stereotype. 

In contrast, this movie is the first holiday rom-com ever released by a major studio, Sony, to center an LGBTQ love story. “Happiest Season” also made some waves in the media by casting LQBTQ actors to LQBTQ roles. The director, Clea DuVall, loosely based the movie about her coming out story on Christmas day but initially wanted to create, “a mosaic of all the different experiences of, at least for me, being a gay person.” 

This flick celebrates diversity and confident LGBTQ characters on the big screen which is historic and important for the future of the film industry. I say “Happiest Season” is a worthwhile watch for any Dragon or the whole Dragon crew!