Welcome to another week of BEHIND THE LENS and this week it's all about Christmas as I welcome director/co-cinematographer/co-editor ADAM VOLERICH, talking about his feature directorial debut, DRINK AND BE MERRY, and director CELIA ANISKOVICH, who is filled with the Christmas spirit as she talks about her documentary, THE MERCHANTS OF JOY.

So, let's get that cinematic sleigh going with Adam Volerich and DRINK AND BE MERRY.

At a struggling New York dive bar in the days leading up to Christmas 2019, Chet, a beleaguered bartender in a state of extended arrested development, must balance caring for his misanthropic, aging regulars – who have nowhere else to go, and rely on him for far more than pouring drinks – with his naive desires to muster some Christmas spirit. Neither Chet nor his regulars know if this will be their last Christmas together, but for them, every day is just another day, but under the prettiest of holiday wrappings.

And now we move from the warmth of a cozy, nostalgic bar to the hustle and bustle of New York City with THE MERCHANTS OF JOY and documentarian CELIA ANISKOVICH.

A funny, heartwarming, and grounded documentary that follows five families who sell Christmas trees in New York City each holiday season, THE MERCHANTS OF JOY captures the cast of characters behind the city's Christmas tree stands– small business owners who bring holiday cheer to the streets each season, along with a healthy dose of friendly (and sometimes not-so-friendly) competition with each other.

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