We must have the best seats in the house - 2017 is looking very enticing from here! In January you'll be able to gorge yourself on hundreds of short films from some of the most exciting and risk taking filmmakers around the UK. Cleanse your palate of all the rubbish your relatives have forced you to watch over a flat Buck's Fizz with two days of documentaries, drama, comedy and animation. This week's Guest Editor is Philip Ilson, artistic director of the London Short Film Festival, which returns to London for special events and screenings at various locations. Read our interview with him where he talks about what makes short films exciting and what to expect from the festival.

Feeling a festive sense of generosity but your stockings are already stuffed? Well do take a look at the Kickstarter for an immersive, feminist take on circus deep in the Waterloo Vaults and learn how the Gloryville Effect is on the move to help poverty stricken communities, orphanages and refugees across the globe. Better than a chocolate orange.

For more culture gems and competitions - browse our Offers page. As for the best of the rest - rummage through our genre-bending pages where you'll find plenty of haut happenings.

Here's to wishing you a ding-dong week dear Players! Bottoms up! RR xx