Animal Welfare Act<\/span> (AWA).\u00a0 Farm animals or large animals have no protection beyond what local animal welfare groups can provide.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nIn Ukraine in 2006, “The Law of Ukraine On the Protection of Animals from Cruelty” was enacted; however, it doesn’t speak to evacuations and only sets forth general requirements for the humane treatment of animals.\u00a0 As a result, when Russia invaded Ukraine, no laws protected pets or zoo animals, the latter of which Oleksandr Feldman loved and cared for at Feldman Ecopark as if all 5,000 animals were his family, something that we see unfold onscreen and believe with all our hearts.\u00a0 There has been plenty of coverage of the war in Ukraine since February 2022.\u00a0 People have been displaced.\u00a0 Communities destroyed.\u00a0 Thousands have been injured or killed.\u00a0 But what about the animals, companion animals and pets, or those in zoos and ecoparks such as Feldman Ecopark?\u00a0 \u00a0They are collateral damage of the war.\u00a0 But for Oleksandr, his staff, and a small group of volunteers, they were so much more.\u00a0 They deserved a chance at life beyond the bombs.\u00a0 Animals are refugees, too.\u00a0 But where do you go when the entire country is being attacked and bombed?<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/behindthelensonline.net\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/cz1.png\")
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In this exclusive interview, JOSHUA ZEMAN discusses CHECKPOINT ZOO, chronicling the rescue of over 4,700 animals in those first 71 days of the war.\u00a0 Joshua first learned about the trouble at Feldman Ecopark because of the Ukraine War when he saw an article on the front page of The New York Times. The article featured a chimpanzee named Chi Chi, who had escaped from the Kharkiv Zoo and was originally from Feldman Eco Park, which had been bombed.\u00a0 That story and video footage of Chi Chi walking through Freedom Square in Kharkiv inspired Joshua to look deeper into the situation.\u00a0 He was inspired by the symbolic and emotional impact of animals during wartime. The way the story of Chi Chi brought hope and smiles to people living through the war made Joshua realize there was a powerful story to tell about the unique role of animals in such circumstances.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/behindthelensonline.net\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/cz2.png\")
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Joshua obtained the initial video footage for the rescues by reaching out directly to the head of the zoo, who initially sent him viral clips. After that, he received nightly video clips from the volunteers, rescuers, and zookeepers, much of which was shot on their cell phones in 30-second clips \u2014often for social media. \u00a0 <\/span>The project involved sifting through an excess of 300 hours of footage, primarily captured by volunteers and rescuers on their phones, in addition to his own trips to Ukraine for interviews with the zookeepers and volunteers, Mr. Feldman, the head of the zoo, a volunteer veterinarian, and more.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nFacing numerous challenges while documenting a war, Joshua filmed in an active war zone, with bombs going off during interviews, and had to work under constant threat and unpredictability, sometimes timing animal evacuations between barrages of attacks.\u00a0 There were also language barriers\u2014Joshua didn\u2019t speak Ukrainian and initially didn\u2019t have a simultaneous translator, so he relied on a fixer and on reading the emotion in people\u2019s eyes.\u00a0 The stress and noise of war affected both the people and the animals, making the rescues and documentation process even more delicate and dangerous.\u00a0 Emotionally intense and logistically complex, Joshua was driven by the importance of the story.<\/p>\n
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As you’ll hear, at one point, the situation at Feldman Ecopark was so dire that pleas were made on social media for medication for euthanasia because the rescuers and zookeepers couldn’t work fast enough to get the animals to safety and didn’t have enough facilities that would accept them.\u00a0 \u00a0Without assistance, many of the animals, especially the big cats, would have to be put down or left behind.\u00a0 That was unacceptable to all concerned, as they were determined that no animal would be abandoned.\u00a0 Those social media pleas resulted in more than 10,000 people from around the world calling and offering trucks, cages, anesthesia for transport; some zoos even said they could take all of the predators and big cats.\u00a0 In a segment that might be called “Saving Private Lion”, on Day 42, the evacuation of the predators began, the footage of which gives way to some lighter, albeit more dangerous, parts of the film.<\/p>\n
Emphasizing the emotional process of editing and focusing on scenes that evoked strong emotional responses, CHECKPOINT ZOO highlights the resilience of the rescuers, who faced challenges like anesthetizing animals under stress and predicting bombing attacks.\u00a0 Four editors worked together to lay out all the material, select the most representative animals and stories, and even do detective work to track down the best footage.\u00a0 The team also relied on emotional screenings to determine what was working in the assembly.\u00a0 Describing the process as an “unbelievable challenge,” Joshua also found it rewarding and, at times, fun.
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As you watch CHECKPOINT ZOO, and as you listen to this interview, Joshua discusses at length the importance of not showing the death of any animals in the documentary.\u00a0 He wants viewers\u2014especially animal lovers\u2014to know that they can watch the film without seeing animals die.\u00a0 Instead, the focus is on the powerful connection between humans and animals, and the hope and resilience shown during the rescues.\u00a0 \u00a0This approach was essential in the editing process and throughline development so that people would not be deterred from watching and could fully appreciate the emotional and uplifting aspects of the story, which captures the profound emotional connection between humans and animals, showcasing the humanity restored through their rescue efforts.<\/span><\/p>\nAn amazing documentary.\u00a0 An emotional and passionate interview.<\/p>\n
TAKE A LISTEN. . .<\/strong><\/h2>\nby debbie lynn elias, exclusive interview 08\/06\/2025<\/p>\n
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CHECKPOINT ZOO is in theatres across North America beginning August 15, 2025.<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n
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