Checkpoint Zoo

In the early days of the Russian-Ukrainian war, Kharkiv, the country’s second largest city, was turned into a warzone. On one side of the battlefield was the invading Russian army, on the other side, the defending Ukrainians, and caught in between them, was a zoo called Feldman Ecopark.

In addition to being a cultural center, Feldman Ecopark was an animal sanctuary that offered countless therapy programs to everyone from soldiers with PTSD to children with special needs. As the war ravaged on, and the shelling increased, it was clear that the bravery of the staff wouldn’t be enough to save the animals trapped inside. With the help of four young volunteers, these real-life heros would undertake a seemingly impossible mission – they would risk life and limb to evacuate over 5,000 animals, including dangerous predators, and deliver them to safety.

Drawing from first-hand footage, filmmaker Joshua Zeman’s Checkpoint Zoo showcases a story of human compassion, bravery, and sacrifice during Ukraine’s darkest hours — shining a light on the best of humanity when it is all too easy to focus on the worst.