The Snow Queen

The Snow Queen (Russian: Снежная королева, romanized: Snezhnaya koroleva, lit. 'The Snow Queen') is a 2012 Russian animated fantasy adventure film directed by Vladlen Barbe and Maxim Sveshnikov. The film is a based on the 1844 fairy tale of the same name by Hans Christian Andersen. Set after the Snow Queen invoked the spell of eternal winter, the film follows the story of Gerda who sets out on an improbable frigid journey up North to save her brother Kai. The Snow Queen was one of the most anticipated projects of the Russian film industry in 2012. Inspirational evaluation of The Snow Queen at international film markets set its stage for international distribution. The film was released on 31 December 2012 in Russia. In the United States, it was released on 11 October 2013. After receiving generally positive reviews from critics, an Annecy International Animated Film Festival review noted the film's ambition is reminiscent of the golden age of Russian animation. The film also achieved significant commercial success, with the total box office amounting to $13.6 million, nearly doubling its $7 million budget. The film became a milestone in the history of Russian animation as it received accolades from Moscow Film Festival and Zelenograd International Youth Film Festival. A sequel, The Snow Queen 2, was released in 2014.