Mashenka

Mashenka (1992) is a short animated film of the Russian folktale of Masha and the Bear, and you can watch it online on iFILM. In ten gentle minutes it retells a story every child grows up with: a little girl wanders too far into the forest and ends up inside the cabin of an enormous bear.

The bear refuses to let his guest go home, so Mashenka turns to her wits instead of her tears. A basket of pies, the bear's strict order not to peek inside on the way, and a clever trick that any grown-up would envy. Irina Muravyova and Rogvold Sukhoverko voice the leads under director Sergey Olifirenko.

It is a warm, unhurried adaptation made for watching with small kids — exactly the kind of fairy tale that reads well at bedtime. Stream Mashenka (1992) online on iFILM.