Watch Richard E Grant in O’Human Being, a “twisted” festive animation from Anomaly

Written, directed, animated and produced by Anomaly and Unreasonable Studios, O’Human Being is the “twisted” alternative to nicey-nicey Christmas adverts that you never knew you needed.

The blood-spattered six-minute short features a typically velvety voice-over by top-tier thespian Richard E Grant. Chronicling a chap named Peter’s “existential journey through his hostage, mutilation and systematic torture”, it’s about as far away from a cosy afternoon in with a punnet of mince pies and It’s a Wonderful Life for company.

If you’re the sort of viewer who likes a synopsis to scan before you sit back with your laptop, consider this a gift from Anomaly to you: “When a family of Christmas trees chop Peter’s feet off, stand him in the corner of their living room, and decorate him in tinsel and lights, Peter has to devise a fantastic plan of escape in order to make it home to his beloved wife.”

Now that’s a synopsis.

It’s the third time the two studios have worked together to produce a Christmas cracker of an animation, having released the Patrick Stewart narrated Dear Satan in 2017, and The 12 Days of Christmas – A Tale of Avian Misery which featured the vocal talents of Fleabag star Phoebe Waller-Bridge back in 2016.