Klaus

Klaus (2019) is a Spanish animated Christmas comedy-drama film directed by Sergio Pablos in his directorial debut and produced by The SPA Studios for Netflix. The film presents an original take on the origin of Santa Claus, reimagined through a heartfelt story about friendship, redemption, and the power of small acts of kindness. It follows Jesper Johansson, a lazy, spoiled postal academy student who is stationed in the frozen, miserable town of Smeerensburg as punishment. There, he meets Klaus, a reclusive toymaker living in the woods. As Jesper begins delivering Klaus’s toys to local children, the unlikely pair sparks a transformation in the bitter, divided town—gradually inspiring joy, unity, and the legend of Santa Claus. The film’s visual style was revolutionary: it used traditional 2D animation enhanced with digital lighting and volumetric techniques to give it a painterly, three-dimensional look—an intentional homage to classic hand-drawn animation with a modern twist. The result was a stunningly crafted world filled with expressive characters, cinematic depth, and rich emotional texture. This approach stood out in a landscape dominated by 3D CGI, earning Klaus widespread admiration for its technical innovation and artistic courage. Klaus premiered on Netflix in November 2019 and had a limited theatrical release. It quickly became a hit for the platform, especially during the holiday season. While Netflix doesn’t publicly release full viewership numbers, Klaus reportedly drew millions of viewers in its first weeks and became one of the most-streamed original animated features on the service. Critically, the film received universal acclaim, holding a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a Metacritic score of 65, with many calling it one of the best animated Christmas films ever made. Reviewers praised its heartfelt storytelling, timeless message, visual innovation, and the performances of Jason Schwartzman (Jesper), J.K. Simmons (Klaus), Rashida Jones, and Joan Cusack. Its blend of comedy, emotion, and artistry won over both families and animation enthusiasts. Klaus made history by becoming Netflix’s first animated film nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards (92nd Oscars), where it competed against major studio titles like Toy Story 4 and Missing Link. While it ultimately lost to Toy Story 4, it won seven Annie Awards—more than any other film that year—including Best Feature, Best Direction, Best Character Animation, and Best Production Design. It also won Best Animated Film at the BAFTAs. The legacy of Klaus lies in its revival of hand-drawn animation for the modern era and its refreshing take on a holiday icon. It proved that traditional animation still had room to evolve and captivate audiences, even in the age of CGI. For many, Klaus has become a new holiday classic—emotionally resonant, artistically daring, and a powerful reminder that “a true selfless act always sparks another.”