The Twelve Months

The Twelve Months (1956) is a Soviet animated feature directed by Ivan Ivanov-Vano — watch it online on iFILM. Based on Samuil Marshak's fairy tale, it follows a girl sent into the winter forest by her cruel stepmother with one impossible demand: a basket of snowdrops, gathered in January.

In the dark forest she finds a fire and twelve brothers seated around it, one for each month of the year. The animation reflects Soviet studio craft at its most careful, and the voice cast includes Lyudmila Kasatkina, Georgy Vitsin, and Erast Garin. At 55 minutes it moves cleanly — no padding, no drag. Stream The Twelve Months (1956) online on iFILM.