AllMovie

It's never easy for a family when a parent goes to jail, but the absence is felt even more keenly during the Christmas season, when distant relations so often come together. Filmmaker Gaetano di Vaio profiles a handful of women trying to hold their households and their lives together during the holidays in the documentary Il Loro Natale (aka Their Christmas). Maddalena, Mariarca, Stefania and Titina are four women whose husbands are serving time in prison for offenses ranging from theft to drug smuggling. While their partners may be behind bars, they're still part of the women's daily lives as they fight for their release in the courts or stay in contact however they can, and as Christmas looms, many find themselves turning to trusted family members and support groups as they try to find ways to make the season bright for their men. Il Loro Natale was an official selection at the 2010 Venice Film Festival.