CHECKPOINT ZOO

Ukraine, USA | 2025 | 107 min | col.| English, Russian, Ukrainian

From the early days of the Russia-Ukraine war, one of the main battlegrounds has been Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city. On one side, the invading army; on the other side, the defence lines. In the middle, an animal shelter: Feldman Ecopark. As the war rages and the bombings intensify, it becomes clear that the staff’s courage and devotion alone won’t be enough to save the animals, trapped inside the park with scarce food and water supplies. With the help of four young volunteers, the caretakers embarked on a ‘mission impossible’: to challenge the bombs and evacuate over 5,000 animals – including dozens of dangerous predators – and rescue them. Using footage filmed by the protagonists themselves, Joshua Zeman tells a story of compassion, courage, and sacrifice, emphasising the fearless spirit of those who have not lost hope in the face of atrocity. (A.S.)