The Guardians of Christmas

The Guardians of Christmas

2025 · ★ 9.0 · Comedy, Fantasy

Trying to discover who now presides over the winter holidays in Ukraine, three legendary gift-givers - Saint Nicholas, Santa Claus, and the ancient Spirit of Winter - race to grant little Vira’s every wish. But Vira, embittered, demands that Christmas be wiped from existence. Instantly, carols and holiday cheer vanish from the city and from everyone’s memory, leaving only sorrow in their place. Stripped of their magic and turned into ordinary mortals, the three must join forces to avert the Armageddon unleashed by Christmas’s disappearance, and to restore Vira’s faith in miracles and hope for a bright future.

Directed by Oleksandr Kirienko · Written by Tamara Hrantovska

Your Rating

Where to Watch

Streaming

Cast

Make it a double feature

The Guardians of Christmas

Red One

A close match in mood and era.

More from Oleksandr KirienkoSee all →

On One's Own Land

On One's Own Land · 2017

On One's Own Land

Spring. Shots and explosions can be heard nearby - there is a war. Uliana packed her things to go. All the neighbors have long since left, except for them and Pasha. Gordii cuts trees in his garden. Uliana catches a car that is ready to take them to a safe place, but Gordii, despite the war, refuses to leave his native land.

Sirens

The measured life of a provincial town is shaken by terrible news: the body of a 32-year-old woman has been found. There is a suspicion that the deceased is the sister of the investigator of the local police department, Rita Tikhonova, who disappeared 14 years ago. An investigation begins, during which Rita is faced with very strange circumstances and understands that her environment keeps terrible secrets, and her family and friends are not who they say they are.

Orange Sky

Orange Sky · 2006

MovieDramaRomance

Love story of the student of Ivanna and Mark, the son of the governor. Mark has a brilliant future - studying in a prestigious Western university, provided a bride. His concern is choosing a car brand in which club to spend the evening with the same snobs and cynics from wealthy families. Ivanna is emotional, unpredictable, she is not indifferent to not only her future but also the future of her country. She broke into Mark's life with an orange swirl and changed him in minutes. They are not alike, they even speak different languages, but the main thing now is love.

Убийство на т�роих

Убийство на троих · 2015

Убийство на троих

SeriesMysteryComedy

Indi

MovieRomanceDrama

Arina is young, reach and independent woman. She's married to a wealthy businessman. But deep inside she's still looking for a true love.

Illusion of Fear

Illusion of Fear · 2008

Illusion of Fear

Story of a successful businessman, who has to protect his business in difficult conditions. He gets entrapped into the net of law enforcement structures and after arrest the protagonist starts to notice weird things: some of his interlocutors appear to be not real persons, but phantoms, created by his consciousness. Fantomness, dematerialization of things that are obvious for common sense brings the author to the next stage of thinking - that the illusion of fear is also fruit of our imagination.

Gas Station Queen 2

Gas Station Queen 2 · 2004

Gas Station Queen 2

MovieComedyRomance

The remake of a famous 1963 comedy 'Koroleva Benzokolonki'.

Our Children

Our Children · 2007

Dina, a former figure skating star, works as a coach in a boarding school for problematic children when she meets Lada - a new and very talented girl.

Saxophone Solo

Saxophone Solo · 2012

Vladislav Lavrov is the owner of a powerful construction empire. He is lucky in everything – the business is booming, his beautiful wife is making a breakneck career on stage, and his beloved daughter is on television. But one day, his old friend Sasha Frolov appears in Lavrov's house. He is poor, terminally ill, and everyone calls him Sasha the Saxophone for his virtuoso playing of the instrument. This man completely destroys Lavrov's stable and orderly life in one day. "Solo on the Saxophone" will reveal to us the secrets of this family and this friendship one by one, as well as the main secret that binds former friends, now a criminal and a construction magnate.

A December Tale 2: The Lost Letter

A December Tale 2: The Lost Letter · 2026

A December Tale 2: The Lost Letter

MovieFamilyComedy

Whilst preparing for yet another round of spreading holiday cheer, saint Nicholas discovers an unopened letter that had been sent to him by a young boy named Borys 30 years ago. Now the latter is a sucssesful businessman who had lost the abbility to see the joys and whimsy of life after being severly beaten down by the world around him. The legendary giftgiver enters a race against time to help the broken man regain his childlike wonder, or else one will forever loose the abbility to feel joy and the other, his magical powers.

The Shrove Sunday

The Shrove Sunday · 2018

The Shrove Sunday

A little orphan boy, an immigrant from eastern Ukraine, finds himself in an orphanage after the death of his parents and faces the cruelty of other children. He really wants to go to church on Shrove Sunday and apologize for his hatred.

Team Building

Team Building · 2025

With layoffs looming, a team-building retreat in the Carpathians turns into a no-holds-barred competition as employees learn their jobs are on the line.

Naydenysh

Naydenysh · 2010

MovieRomanceDrama

Clown

Every morning the Clown gets on the bus and arranges a show for passengers, makes gifts to children and the conductor. Everyone is happy and adores him. But once he doesn't show up… This is a story about kindness. The story of the "baton of goodness" that a young policeman takes from a clown (retiree) and passes on the good.

To Save Horsie

To Save Horsie · 2024

MovieDocumentary

An investigative film dedicated to the fate of children affected by Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine. The plot centers on the story of a bloodstained toy horse found at a train station after shelling. Who did the horse from Kramatorsk belong to? Was its young owner able to escape? If so, where is he now, and what has become of him? The idea behind the film is to try to find this child or his relatives and get answers to these questions. While investigating the Kramatorsk tragedy, we will also tell other poignant stories about broken children's lives.

Naydenysh 2

Naydenysh 2 · 2011

MovieRomanceDrama

Анна и Никита воспитывают чужого ребенка, но теперь у них появился шанс на рождение собственного: беременность Анны подтверждается. Женщину кладут на сохранение. Однако их счастье омрачается попытками некой доброжелательницы убедить Анну и ее мужа, что в ее возрасте опасно рожать. По ее мнению, Анне следует прибегнуть к помощи суррогатной матери. А пока Анна находится в роддоме, Никита берет на себя заботу о матери-одиночке с новорожденным ребенком, отец которого трагически погиб...

More Like This

Taxi 3

MovieActionComedy

A gang of thieves calling themselves the Santa Claus Gang are wreaking havoc, and the police can't keep up. Police Captain Gilbert is distracted by a Chinese reporter writing a story on his squad, and taxi driver Daniel is in the midst of a relationship crisis. After a string of mistakes in which the thieves outsmart the police time and time again, Daniel and his super-taxi pitch in.

Everything Is Illuminated

Everything Is Illuminated · 2005

Everything Is Illuminated

MovieComedyDrama

A young Jewish American man endeavors—with the help of eccentric, distant relatives—to find the woman who saved his grandfather during World War II—in a Ukrainian village which was ultimately razed by the Nazis.

The Time Machine

The Time Machine · 1960

The Time Machine

MovieThrillerAdventure

A Victorian Englishman travels to the far future and finds that humanity has divided into two hostile species.

The Polar Express

The Polar Express · 2004

The Polar Express

MovieAdventureAnimation

When a doubting young boy takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery that shows him that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe.

Fred Claus

Fred Claus · 2007

MovieActionComedy

Fred Claus and Santa Claus have been estranged brothers for many years. Now Fred must reconcile his differences with his brother whom he believes overshadows him. When an efficiency expert assesses the workings at the North Pole and threatens to shut Santa down, Fred must help his brother to save Christmas.

Miracle on 34th Street

Miracle on 34th Street · 1994

Miracle on 34th Street

MovieFantasyDrama

Six-year-old Susan Walker has doubts about childhood's most enduring miracle—Santa Claus. Her mother told her the secret about Santa a long time ago, but, after meeting a special department store Santa who's convinced he's the real thing, Susan is given the most precious gift of all—something to believe in.

Krampus

Krampus · 2015

MovieHorrorComedy

When his dysfunctional family clashes over the holidays, young Max is disillusioned and turns his back on Christmas. Little does he know, this lack of festive spirit has unleashed the wrath of Krampus: a demonic force of ancient evil intent on punishing non-believers.

Red One

Red One · 2024

MovieActionAdventure

After Santa Claus (codename: Red One) is kidnapped, the North Pole's Head of Security must team up with the world's most infamous tracker in a globe-trotting, action-packed mission to save Christmas.

In Bed with Santa

In Bed with Santa · 1999

In Bed with Santa

Sara invites her ex-husbands and their new families to celebrate Christmas with her and her husband Janne. Sara has always wanted to have a baby with Janne, and at the dinner table she reveals the news: she's pregnant. The only problem is that Janne had a vasectomy two years ago, without Sara knowing it. The secret starts to spread among the guests, and in no time everyone knows but Sara. The party heads for a complete disaster. Who's the real father?

The Santa Clause

The Santa Clause · 1994

The Santa Clause

MovieFantasyDrama

On Christmas Eve, divorced dad Scott Calvin and his son discover Santa Claus has fallen off their roof. When Scott takes the reins of the magical sleigh, he finds he is now the new Santa, and must convince a world of disbelievers, including himself.

More on NetflixSee all →

Facing El Chapo

Facing El Chapo · 2026

Facing El Chapo

MovieCrimeAction

Two Mexican officers must survive the final hours of their shift after crossing a ruthless cartel boss.

The Whisper Man

The Whisper Man · 2026

The Whisper Man

MovieCrimeDrama

When his young son vanishes, a widower enlists help from his estranged father, a retired detective who put away the serial killer now linked to the case.

Spider-Man: No Way Home

Spider-Man: No Way Home · 2021

Spider-Man: No Way Home

MovieActionAdventure

Peter Parker is unmasked and no longer able to separate his normal life from the high-stakes of being a super-hero. When he asks for help from Doctor Strange the stakes become even more dangerous, forcing him to discover what it truly means to be Spider-Man.

The Secret Woman

The Secret Woman · 2026

The Secret Woman

MovieDramaThriller

After discovering she has a family and a shipping empire, a woman with amnesia returns to a wealthy and seemingly perfect past to uncover why she left.

The Last House

The Last House · 2026

MovieHorrorScience Fiction

A family suddenly sealed inside their home must work together to survive against dwindling resources and the ominous threat keeping them trapped.

Spider-Man

Spider-Man · 2002

MovieActionScience Fiction

After being bitten by a genetically altered spider at Oscorp, nerdy but endearing high school student Peter Parker is endowed with amazing powers to become the superhero known as Spider-Man.

Spider-Man: Homecoming

Spider-Man: Homecoming · 2017

Spider-Man: Homecoming

MovieActionAdventure

Following the events of Captain America: Civil War, Peter Parker, with the help of his mentor Tony Stark, tries to balance his life as an ordinary high school student in Queens, New York City, with fighting crime as his superhero alter ego Spider-Man as a new threat, the Vulture, emerges.

Fight Club

Fight Club · 1999

MovieDramaThriller

A ticking-time-bomb insomniac and a slippery soap salesman channel primal male aggression into a shocking new form of therapy. Their concept catches on, with underground "fight clubs" forming in every town, until an eccentric gets in the way and ignites an out-of-control spiral toward oblivion.

Spider-Man 3

Spider-Man 3 · 2007

MovieActionAdventure

The seemingly invincible Spider-Man goes up against an all-new crop of villains—including the shape-shifting Sandman. While Spider-Man’s superpowers are altered by an alien organism, his alter ego, Peter Parker, deals with nemesis Eddie Brock and also gets caught up in a love triangle.

The Wild Robot

The Wild Robot · 2024

MovieFamilyAnimation

After a shipwreck, an intelligent robot called Roz is stranded on an uninhabited island. To survive the harsh environment, Roz bonds with the island's animals and cares for an orphaned baby goose.

The Terminator

The Terminator · 1984

MovieActionThriller

In the post-apocalyptic future, reigning tyrannical supercomputers teleport a cyborg assassin known as the "Terminator" back to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor, whose unborn son is destined to lead insurgents against 21st century mechanical hegemony. Meanwhile, the human-resistance movement dispatches a lone warrior to safeguard Sarah. Can he stop the virtually indestructible killing machine?

Swapped

Swapped · 2026

MovieAdventureAnimation

A small woodland creature and a majestic bird, two natural sworn enemies of the Valley, magically trade places and set off on an adventure of a lifetime to switch back. Their journey soon uncovers a greater threat—one that could endanger not only their species, but the entire valley they call home.

GOAT

MovieAnimationComedy

A small goat with big dreams gets a once-in-a-lifetime shot to join the pros and play roarball, a high-intensity, co-ed, full-contact sport dominated by the fastest, fiercest animals in the world.

Elize: Shadows of a Woman

Elize: Shadows of a Woman · 2026

Elize: Shadows of a Woman

MovieThrillerCrime

In this retelling of a real case, a former escort discovers her wealthy husband's infidelity and struggles to cope as betrayal poisons their marriage.

Spirited Away

Spirited Away · 2001

MovieAnimationFamily

A young girl, Chihiro, becomes trapped in a strange new world of spirits. When her parents undergo a mysterious transformation, she must call upon the courage she never knew she had to free her family.

Shrek

MovieAnimationComedy

It ain't easy bein' green -- especially if you're a likable (albeit smelly) ogre named Shrek. On a mission to retrieve a gorgeous princess from the clutches of a fire-breathing dragon, Shrek teams up with an unlikely compatriot -- a wisecracking donkey.

War Machine

War Machine · 2026

MovieActionScience Fiction

On one last grueling mission during Army Ranger training, a combat engineer must lead his unit in a fight against a giant otherworldly killing machine.

Desire

MovieMysteryDrama

Lucero’s life appears immaculate: a wealthy household, a devoted husband, and two children who embody the promise of a perfect family. Yet beneath this surface simmers a quiet dissatisfaction. When Matías, a young swimming coach hired by her husband, enters their lives, Lucero finds herself pulled into a risky and consuming relationship. As secrecy, desire, and jealousy tighten their grip, the boundaries within the family begin to collapse, placing mother and daughter in a dangerous emotional triangle that threatens to shatter everything Lucero has built.

Gandhari

Gandhari · 2026

MovieActionDrama

When a mother loses her eyesight and her daughter in a kidnapping, she takes matters into her own hands to hunt down those responsible.

KPop Demon Hunters

KPop Demon Hunters · 2025

KPop Demon Hunters

MovieFantasyMusic

When K-pop superstars Rumi, Mira and Zoey aren't selling out stadiums, they're using their secret powers to protect their fans from supernatural threats.

Rate this film

Your ratings make Midnight smarter