The Protector (2022 film)

The Protector is a 2022 Canadian suspense thriller film written, directed and edited by Lenin M. Sivam and produced by Munire Armstrong. The film stars Chelsea Clark as a young woman on probation in a seemingly crime-free small town, alongside Rebecca Jenkins, Andrew Gillies, Munro Chambers, Jasmin Geljo and Pras Lingam. Blending Canadian small-town drama with elements of South Asian folklore and magical realism, the story centres on a mysterious book about a god known as "the Protector" and the violent secrets the town is hiding.

The film was shot in and around Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario during the winter of 2021. It had its world premiere at the 2022 Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal, and subsequently screened at genre and independent festivals in North America, Europe and Asia, including opening-night slots at the Blood in the Snow Film Festival in Toronto and the Sault Ste. Marie International Film Festival, and the closing-night gala at the Jaffna International Cinema Festival in Sri Lanka. According to the University of Jaffna, the film later garnered the Best Feature Film Award at the Canal de Panama International Film Festival.

After its festival run, The Protector was picked up for North American sales and distribution by Alarm Pictures, and was released on Canadian digital platforms by levelFILM in February 2023, followed by availability on Amazon Prime Video and other VOD services in Canada and the United States. Critics generally praised the film’s premise, folklore elements and performances—particularly Clark’s lead turn—while offering more mixed views on its narrative and tonal execution.