Today’s entry in the 12 Posts of Christmas is an OSCAR-winning animated short featuring the music of John & Yoko.

From the video’s description:

WAR IS OVER! Set in an alternate WWI reality where a senseless war rages on, two soldiers on opposite sides of the conflict play a game of chess.

A heroic carrier pigeon delivers the soldiers’ chess moves over the battlefield as the fighting escalates.

Neither soldier knows his opponent as the game and the war builds to its climatic final move. Whoever wins the game, one thing is for certain: there are no winners in war.

Written by Sean Ono Lennon and Dave Mullins, it features John Lennon & Yoko Ono’s iconic anti-war holiday song ‘Happy Xmas (War Is Over)’. Directed by Dave Mullins, Produced by Brad Booker and Exec Produced by Yoko Ono Lennon and Sean Ono Lennon with music by Thomas Newman, the film has been created as a co-production of Lenono Music, ElectroLeague, Lightstorm Entertainment, WētāFX and Epic Games.

It won the 2024 Academy Award (Oscar) and the ANNIE Award for Best Animated Short.

WAR IS OVER! Has been released to YouTube to raise awareness of the UK charity, War Child. Helen Pattinson, CEO of War Child UK says: “I want to thank Sean Ono Lennon, Yoko Ono, Dave Mullins, Brad Booker, Thomas Newman, the John Lennon Estate and all the brilliant people who have come together to create this powerful film. It is an incredibly moving piece of art that shines a light on the tragic consequences of war, which remain all too real in the world today. Their creativity and compassion, as well as that of John and Yoko, continues to help us tell the stories of hundreds-of-millions of children whose lives are being torn apart by conflict, many of whom are currently facing the added dangers of bitter cold, hunger and displacement. Right now, as temperatures drop in places like Gaza, Afghanistan and Ukraine, families are struggling to stay warm and keep their children safe. Every donation helps us to deliver lifesaving support, from safe spaces and specialist psychological care, to emergency support for essentials like heating fuel and food. This winter, it is not the thought that counts, but action. Together, we can give children the protection, warmth and hope that they deserve.”

You can donate to War Child HERE.