On Thursday, April 10, Newport Film is showing a special screening of “Checkpoint Zoo,” a remarkable story of heroism in the early days of the Russia-Ukraine war. The venue opens at 6 p.m., and the film begins at 7 p.m. at Recital Hall at Newport Classical, 42 Dearborn St.

Tickets are $15 per person. They can be purchased here.

About the film

On February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, starting the worst war Europe has seen in over fifty years. In the early days of the invasion, some of the fiercest fighting took place on the outskirts of Kharkiv, Ukraine's 2nd largest city, which sits on the border between the two countries. On one side was the advancing Russian army, and on the other was the defending Ukrainian army. But between them was Ecopark Feldman, a zoo known for its animal care and therapy programs for special needs children and adults with addiction issues. It was home to over 5,000 animals who were now casualties in a human conflict, threatening their very survival through no fault of their own.

Five weeks after the invasion first began, the zoo’s founder, Oleksandr Feldman, a Ukrainian businessman and philanthropist, posted a desperate plea to social media — the relentless shelling had left thousands of animals trapped in their cages with little food or water and only a few zookeepers were left to care for them. Miraculously, Oleksandr Feldman’s social media post captured the hearts of millions, and soon, zoos from across Ukraine and Europe were calling with offers to house the remaining animals. And within 24 hours, a group of selfless volunteers had appeared on Feldman’s doorstep, offering to help in any way they could.

So, it was decided that this brave team of zookeepers and volunteers would do the impossible—they would sneak into the Ecopark under the noses of the Russians camped nearby, risking life and limb to evacuate the thousands of still-living animals. Tragically, some of these heroes lost their own lives in the effort to save these animals, but their tireless dedication to these helpless creatures will never be forgotten.

Thanks to footage captured by the zookeepers, volunteers, and news media on those fateful days, filmmaker Joshua Zeman has reconstructed the events of this rescue, allowing us to examine the scope of the impact of war on some of its most innocent victims: the animals who are caught in the crossfire.