In early December 2026, two screenings of the new Ukrainian family comedy “S Mykolai ta zahublenyi lyst” (“S Mykolai and the Lost Letter”) will take place in Israel. On December 1, the film will be shown in Haifa, and on December 9 in Tel Aviv, during Hanukkah. The organizer is the Israeli film company “Zniato v Ukraini / Created in Ukraine”, which introduces the local audience to Ukrainian cinema.
Author: Pavel Shveiko, NAnews
The film tells the story of an adult who has lost the ability to enjoy life and unexpectedly gets the chance to meet himself as a child. At the center of the plot is a forgotten letter to Saint Nicholas, an unfulfilled wish, and an attempt to correct a mistake from thirty years ago.
The Ukrainian premiere of the film is scheduled for November 19, 2026. Thus, Israeli viewers will be able to see the novelty shortly after its release in Ukrainian cinemas.
Where and when the screenings will take place in Israel
The organizers announced two dates:
- Haifa — Tuesday, December 1, 2026.
- Tel Aviv — Wednesday, December 9, 2026.
Details about the start times of the sessions, cinema addresses, and ticket prices need to be clarified on the official event page on Facebook. There you should also check for schedule changes and ticket sales information.
For Israelis, it is especially important to clarify in advance the language of the screening and the availability of subtitles in English or Hebrew. The film is released in Ukrainian in Ukrainian cinemas, but the format of the Israeli screenings has not yet been confirmed.
About the film: a letter that was 30 years late
The action begins in the Carpathians, a mountainous region in western Ukraine. On ordinary days, Saint Nicholas runs a cozy hotel, but as the winter holiday approaches, he and his helpers prepare to fulfill children’s wishes.
One day, among the old letters, a message is discovered that has remained unread for more than thirty years. It was written by nine-year-old Borya, an orphanage resident. The boy was hoping for a miracle, but his request went unanswered.
Over the years, Borya grew up and became Boris — a wealthy, successful, but cynical investor. He no longer believes in miracles, love, or family. Material well-being has not made him happy, and childhood dreams are long forgotten.
After an unexpected car accident, something incredible happens in Boris’s life: a nine-year-old boy appears next to him, whom only he can see. It is Boris himself as a child — the very child who once wrote a letter to Saint Nicholas.
Now adult Boris must figure out what he really wanted back then and manage to fulfill the forgotten wish before the holiday. At stake is not only his own happiness: if he fails, he will forever lose the ability to experience joy, and Saint Nicholas will lose his magical power.
The creators define the film as a family comedy with elements of fairy tale and fantasy. Its slogan is “Miracles happen.”
Who is Saint Nicholas and why he is not quite Santa Claus
For Israeli viewers unfamiliar with Ukrainian winter customs, it is worth explaining an important detail. Saint Nicholas is a character from Christian tradition, based on the image of Nicholas of Myra, a 4th-century bishop, revered for his kindness, help to those in need, and care for children.
In Ukrainian culture, the holiday of Saint Nicholas is traditionally associated with gifts for children. According to custom, on the morning of the holiday, children find sweets and small gifts left for them overnight. With the transition of Ukrainian churches to the new calendar, the holiday is widely celebrated on December 6, although the usual date was previously December 19.
Santa Claus has a historical connection with the image of Saint Nicholas, but in Ukrainian tradition, they are not completely interchangeable characters. Nicholas has his own holiday, customs, and cultural context.
For the Israeli audience, the screening dates create an interesting juxtaposition of traditions. Hanukkah in 2026 begins on the evening of December 4 and ends on December 12, so the Tel Aviv screening will take place directly during the Jewish Festival of Lights.
Of course, the film does not tell about Hanukkah. However, the theme of family warmth, childhood memories, hope, and good deeds is understandable to viewers regardless of which holidays are celebrated in their home.
Who played the main roles
Saint Nicholas in the film was played by Viktor Zhdanov, a well-known Ukrainian actor who starred in the series “Catch Kaidash” (“Spiymai Kaidasha”) and “And There Will Be People” (“I budut liudy”).
The role of adult Boris was played by Artemiy Yegorov. It is his character who goes from being a wealthy man disillusioned with life to meeting his forgotten childhood dreams.
The cast also includes Oleksandr Shvets, Tatyana Malkova, Irina Kudashova, Ivan Blindar, Irina Soponaru, Mykhailo Kukuyuk, Maria Markhay, Makar Nikolenko, Ihor Portianko, Olena Khokhlatkina, Anastasia Demyanenko, Valentyna Vovchenko, Kira Meshcherskaya, Oleksandr Zarubey, and Nadezhda Khilskaya.
Among the film’s participants is also a four-legged artist — a Papillon dog named Jessie.
Who created the film
The film’s director is Oleksandr Kyryenko, and it was produced by the Ukrainian company Big Hand Films. The script was written by Vyacheslav Ostrovtsov and Oleksandr Bragin, with Konstantin Ponomaryov as the director of photography.
The project’s producers are Maria Kael, Serhiy Baranov, Alisa Kalyuzhna, and Ihor Korzh. Ukrainian film distribution is handled by Kinomania Film Distribution, and the general information partner is the online cinema SWEET.TV.
The film has the official status of a national Ukrainian film, as confirmed by the State Film Register of Ukraine.
The official release date in Ukraine is November 19, 2026. However, the published cinema cards currently contain different information about the film’s duration — from the preliminary 90 minutes to two hours. Age ratings also vary: from 0+ to 12+. For Israeli screenings, these parameters should be clarified directly with the organizers.
Watch the official trailer for the film “S Mykolai ta zahublenyi lyst” on YouTube.
Who brings Ukrainian cinema to Israel
Behind the screenings is Created in Ukraine — a production and distribution company founded in Israel in 2022. It organizes screenings of Ukrainian films, as well as films dedicated to Ukraine and its history.
During its work, the company has presented dozens of films to the Israeli audience. Among them are the animated film “Mavka,” the historical drama “Dovbush,” the films “Pamfir,” “Shchedryk,” “The Guide,” “Luxembourg, Luxembourg,” “My Carpathian Grandfather,” and the documentary “20 Days in Mariupol,” which won an Oscar.
In 2022, Created in Ukraine organized Ukrainian Film Days at the cinematheques of Jerusalem and Holon. The company also collaborated with the Ukrainian Cultural Center at the Embassy of Ukraine in Israel, holding free film screenings, and presented documentaries as part of the Docudays UA festival.
Since 2024, the company has been holding Ukraine Aviv — a festival of contemporary Ukrainian cinema in Tel Aviv. It collaborates with Israeli cinema networks, cinematheques, and cultural centers, helping Ukrainian films find audiences outside of Ukraine.
This is important for Israeli cultural life as well. Such screenings allow not only those from Ukraine but all residents of Israel interested in new films, European cinema, and stories about human relationships to get acquainted with contemporary Ukrainian cinema.
Tickets and additional information
So, on December 1, 2026, “S Mykolai ta zahublenyi lyst” will be shown in Haifa, and on December 9 in Tel Aviv. The winter holidays are ahead, and this story offers viewers a chance to take a break from everyday worries, remember childhood, and think about the wishes we sometimes forget as we grow up.
You can clarify the addresses of the halls, session times, conditions for visiting with children, and ticket information on the organizers’ page on Facebook.
Other concerts, theatrical performances, film screenings, festivals, and family events in Israel can be found in the sTDe | NAnews poster.