Seriously, what a time. It’s winter, it’s December… But you know what? This year, it seems like we are truly returning to our roots, to our traditions, to the real Christmas and New Year celebrated according to the calendar our ancestors honored.
The Old-New Cycle: Why Do We Need Cinema So Much?
Honestly, on the eve of these winter holidays, we adults, just like children, absolutely need that drop of wonder, a little bit of magic and charm. Life is what it is, and sometimes you just need to reboot.
That’s why I’ve gathered a selection of Ukrainian Christmas and New Year films for viewing with the whole family or alone—about kindness, about miracles, about what keeps us going. I think they perfectly set the mood for that very festive spirit. And it doesn’t matter if you’re alone or with the whole family—there’s something here for every mood.
Ukrainian Holiday Films Worth Watching
The tension and anxiety of December demand decisive action: it’s time to give yourself an emotional release. I’ve gathered 8 awesome Ukrainian films about wonder and kindness so you can finally exhale and get into the real holiday spirit.
1. «The Christmas Guardians» («Вартові Різдва»)
Let’s start with what we’re looking forward to! This is a comedy, but with a deep meaning. The release is scheduled for November 13, 2025, from studios 1+1 media, UnitedContentHUB, and director Oleksandr Kirienko. The anticipated rating, by the way, is already solid: 7.6/10!
The Premise: Three legendary wizards—Saint Nicholas, Santa Claus, and the ancient Spirit of Winter—clash while trying to figure out who is now in charge of the winter holidays in Ukraine. So, they race to fulfill the wishes of little Vira.
The Problem: But Vira, unfortunately, wishes that Christmas didn’t exist at all! Can you imagine? And that’s when it all started: the holiday, with all its attributes, vanishes from the city and people’s memories. Instead of carols, sadness engulfs the city. This is a real psychological drama on a cosmic level!
The Mission: The wizards, of course, turn into ordinary people. They unite because they have to save the world from the Armageddon caused by the disappearance of Christmas, and, most importantly, restore the girl’s faith in miracles and hope for a bright future.
Bonus: The cast here is an all-star line-up: Stanislav Boklan, Mykhailo Kukuyuk, Ivan Blindar, Kateryna Kuznetsova, Roman Lutskyi, Dmytro Sova, Aryna Trehub, and others. I’m telling you, this is going to be a blast!
2. «Now I Will Love You» («Тепер я буду любити тебе»)
Now this is something romantic! A Ukrainian-Georgian romantic comedy film directed by Roman Shirman. It was released, pay attention, right before the holiday—on December 31, 2015.
The Plot: Restaurateur Michel. His wife… left him right before Christmas. Well, you can imagine what follows—a bunch of different adventures. Probably about how life throws surprises at you when you least expect them.
3. «Only a Miracle» («Тільки диво»)
The full title is «Only a Miracle, or To Whom Saint Nicholas Comes». This is fantasy! Director and screenwriter Olena Karetnik.
The Storyline: This is a true family Christmas fairy tale. The action takes place, believe it or not, during the Little Ice Age.
The main characters are the young man Severyn and his sister Anika. Their father is sick, and to save him, they go through a lot of trials and get caught up in a whirlwind of adventures. All this happens on the eve of St. Nicholas Day. And, of course, under the influence of the Christmas miracle, they not only overcome difficulties but also find true love and build strong friendships. Well, how can you not?
4. «The Adventures of S. Nicholas» («Пригоди S Миколая»)
Original title: «December Fairy Tale, or The Adventures of S. Nicholas». A family comedy by director Semen Gorov. The premiere was on December 13, 2018.
What it’s about: The adventures take place in a Carpathian village. The main characters:
- Artem – a second-grader, 8 years old, the main character.
- Polia – his older teenage sister, a sixth-grader, and also a blogger.
- Mom – a fashion designer, a bit stressed because of the trip.
- Dad – a developer of a video game about Saint Nicholas, and that’s essentially how it all started.
The film starts in the snowy Carpathians, where they travel in a yellow van. I hear it’s going to be fun!
5. «My Grandfather is Ded Moroz» («Мій Дідусь — Дід Мороз»)
The debut feature film by director Serhii Shlakhtiuk. A New Year’s family comedy.
The Premise: Nine-year-old boy Maksym finds out before the New Year… that his grandfather is Ded Moroz (Father Frost). Can you imagine the shock?
The Quest: The boy heads to Kyiv, to the main Christmas tree. His goal is to find his grandfather and make one single, most important wish. And his wish is serious: that his father, who is defending the Motherland on a secret mission and from whom there has been no news for a long time, returns home by the New Year. This is, well, simply tear-jerking.
The Journey: On the way, Maksym:
- Gets into various adventures.
- Finds many friends.
- Helps these friends with his childlike spontaneity and simple, yet spot-on advice, changing people’s destinies.
- Even encounters real magic.
He doesn’t give up, even though he runs into fake Ded Morozes. And his mother, by the way, immediately rushes to search for him as well. The will to win—that’s what they’re all about.
6. «The Infernal Banner, or Cossack Christmas» («Пекельна Хоругва, або Різдво Козацьке»)
This is a true Ukrainian feature film-fairy tale! Released in 2019, directed by Mykhailo Kostrov.
The Basis: The script is based on the fairy tale by our lirnyk-storyteller Sashko Lirnyk – «About the Old Cossack, the Christmas Devil, Four Horns, and the Cossack Kin». Doesn’t that already sound intriguing?
The Setting: For ages, Cossacks have been defending our land. But then…
- The Devil cannot take their souls to Hell.
- The Devil and Saint Peter make a bet.
- The condition: if the unclean spirit can keep at least one Cossack in Hell until Christmas, then the Cossacks will perish forever. Now those are stakes!
- The Devil finds a loophole and kidnaps the young Cossack Semen.
- Condition for Release: Semen must raise the small naughty devils.
The task seems impossible, but Semen, of course, is not afraid of it. As always, Cossack bravery decides everything.
7. «Angels Wonder» («Ангели чудяться»)
And this is perhaps the most instructive item on our list. The film is not called that for nothing.
The Plot: Dzidzio, Lesyk, and Yulyk decide to go caroling. They sing the traditional folk carol «God is Being Born» («Бог ся рождається»). But, there is a “but”: they carol with the aim of earning money, and, let’s just say, not entirely by honest means.
The Moral: What punishment will they receive? That’s what you’ll see in the film. It clearly teaches that you need to:
- Exhibit good human qualities.
- Not be greedy.
- Not deceive.
- Not seek personal gain in noble deeds.
That is, essentially, it reminds us of the true values of Christmas.
8. «Train to December 31» («Потяг у 31 грудня»)
The main “person” in this story is the train itself. On the evening of December 31, it rushes to Lviv for the New Year celebrations. But there is a real character: one of the conductors, Mykola Ivanovych (played by the inimitable Stanislav Boklan). He is, imagine that, retiring tomorrow. He was already planning to spend this night quietly, probably alone.
But life says, “No!” His carriage unexpectedly fills up with passengers. And these aren’t just people, they’re a cocktail of destinies:
- A girl who, for crying out loud, decided to run away from her fiancé right on New Year’s Eve.
- A couple that is already on the brink of divorce.
- A hyperactive pregnant woman.
- An introverted accountant who is trying his best to avoid communication.
And here’s the kicker: The train, of course, stops in the middle of a field… There is no choice. The passengers have to get to know each other better—both with one another, and, most importantly, with Mykola Ivanovych. And you know what turns out? They actually have quite a lot in common!
Questions and Answers (FAQ)
Which film from the selection is the oldest?
Answer: The oldest film in this selection is «Strange Christmas», which was released in 2006.
Whose fairy tale is the film «The Infernal Banner, or Cossack Christmas» based on?
Answer: The film’s script is based on the fairy tale by the Ukrainian screenwriter and lirnyk Sashko Lirnyk «About the Old Cossack, the Christmas Devil, Four Horns, and the Cossack Kin».
Which famous Ukrainian actors starred in the film «Strange Christmas»?
Answer: The leading roles were played by such stars as Barbara Brylska, Bohdan Stupka, Liya Akhedzhakova, Olha Sumska, Volodymyr Horyanskyi, Oleksandr Hetmanskyi.
Final Quote
You know, I constantly recall one phrase when I talk about holidays and kindness. And this is not a made-up piece of wisdom; these are words that carry weight.
“No one can go back and change the beginning, but anyone can start today and create a new ending.” – Carl Bard
I think this perfectly captures that we create the miracle ourselves, here and now.
So, have you chosen where to start?
If you liked this list and you also believe that Ukrainian cinema is worth attention—share this article! Let your friends and acquaintances finally take a break from this hustle and bustle.
Author — ReelPoint
Think… Watch… Feel.
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