Santa Claus. Battle of the Magi

Lore & Background

The film's protagonist is Masha, a girl tormented by visions of flying fiery monsters. One day in central Moscow, she sees a battle between winged fire monsters and young magicians. One magician saves her from a chimera, leading her to a secret organization where she learns that Father Frost (Santa Claus) truly exists and leads an army of ice-and-snow-controlling magicians to protect Earth from dark forces. The cast includes Taisiya Vilkova as Masha, Nikita Volkov, Fyodor Bondarchuk as Father Frost, and Aleksei Kravchenko as the evil wizard Karachun.

Reader's Guide

Santa Claus. Battle of the Magi is notable for its attempt to create a unique Russian mythology around the New Year and Father Frost, blending fantasy action with Christmas traditions. The film's production involved two years of development, over 50 costumes, and extensive location filming in iconic Moscow sites such as Red Square and Tverskaya Street. Despite its ambitious scope, the film received mostly negative reviews in Russian media, with only one positive review from Izvestia calling it 'quality family fantasy.' Critics from Rossiyskaya Gazeta and others described the script as suffering from 'mental disorders' and noted the film's absurdities. Its legacy lies in its niche as a Russian holiday fantasy film that sought to reimagine Santa Claus as a warrior-magician, though it failed to achieve critical or broad popular success.

Did You Know?

• The film's premiere in Russia took place on 24 December 2016.
• Fyodor Bondarchuk played Father Frost (Santa Claus) in the film.
• Over 50 intricate costumes were designed, including eight for Father Frost.
• Location filming took place on the streets of New Year's Moscow, including Red Square and Patriarch Ponds.