Podcast
Reel Ukraine
Hosted by Zorianna Kit and Roxy Toporowych · EN
Reel Ukraine, a Zoristar Podcast, is hosted by Los Angeles–based entertainment professionals Zorianna Kit and Roxy Toporowych. Each episode features in-depth conversations with filmmakers and artists whose work intersects with Ukraine in meaningful ways. The show goes inside the filmmaking process, exploring why these stories are being told, how they come together, and what it means to create art connected to Ukraine at a moment when its culture, identity, and future are under global attention.
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Episodes
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Ep. 4 | Alisa Kovalenko - Part Two
4w agoTap to summarizeUkrainian filmmaker Alisa Kovalenko joins Zorianna and Roxy on Reel Ukraine for a powerful conversation about documenting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a filmmaker, frontline soldier, mother, and survivor of sexual violence in captivity. Picking up where Part One left off, this episode explores Alisa’s films We Will Not Fade Away and Traces. Together, the films examine Ukrainian teenagers growing up in the Donbas region during wartime, as well as the lasting trauma caused by sexual violence and torture during Russia’s war against Ukraine. 🎥 We Will Not Fade Away is available to stream on Klassiki. Traces premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival in February 2026, where it won the Documentary Award, and continues to screen at festivals worldwide throughout 2026. 🇺🇦 Reel Ukraine has partnered with @klassikionline to bring more Ukrainian cinema to audiences around the globe. Use discount code REELUKRAINE for 40% off a year-long membership. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Alisa Kovalenko on Filming the Ukraine War 00:09 – The Origins of We Will Not Fade Away 01:28 – Staying in Ukraine During the Full-Scale Invasion 02:43 – Following Teenagers in Donbas Over Three Years 04:16 – Hope and Resilience in Wartime Ukraine 07:08 – Why the Film Ends With Hope 09:29 – Ukrainian Youth Growing Up During War 11:09 – Connecting We Will Not Fade Away and Traces 13:14 – Surviving Russian Captivity in 2014 14:13 – Speaking Publicly About Sexual Violence in War 16:15 – Making Traces Without Exploiting Survivors 20:19 – Nature, Healing, and Trauma in Traces 23:30 – The Symbolism of Sunflowers in Ukraine 24:21 – Trauma, Memory, and Recovery 25:44 – Audience Reactions at Berlinale 28:43 – Looking Back at Alisa in Warland 29:37 – The Emotional Cost of Documenting War 30:07 – Advocacy, Ukrainian Law, and Seeking Justice 33:11 – Why These Stories Matter Beyond Ukraine 34:37 – Addressing Conflict-Related Sexual Violence 36:18 – Future Film Projects and Stories for Children 37:05 – Final Thoughts and Where to Watch
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Reel Ukraine Ep.3 Alisa Kovalenko - Part One
Apr 10Tap to summarizeFilmmaker Alisa Kovalenko joins Zorianna and Roxy for a deeply personal conversation about documenting war, memory, and motherhood in Ukraine. Known for her visually striking and intimate documentaries, Alisa reflects on how her 12-year journey from film student to mother to soldier and frontline documentarian has shaped her voice as a storyteller. In Part One, the conversation focuses on two of her films, "Alisa in Warland" and "My Dear Theo," capturing different chapters of her life, from a young filmmaker during political unrest to a mother and enlisted soldier on the frontlines. Be sure to catch Part Two, where the conversation continues, exploring Alisa’s evolution as a filmmaker and how her work takes on an even more personal and urgent dimension. "Alisa in Warland" is available on Prime Video. "My Dear Theo" screening at film festivals worldwide in 2025.
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Reel Ukraine - Ep.2 - Veselka
Feb 22Tap to summarizeFilmmaker Michael Fiore joins Roxy and Zorianna to discuss his documentary "Veselka," a portrait of the iconic Ukrainian restaurant in New York City and its deep roots in both the Ukrainian community and the city at large. What began as a film about a beloved East Village institution took on new urgency after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, as the restaurant became a gathering place, a lifeline, and a show of support and solidarity. Michael shares how he went from longtime Veselka patron to director, and how he set out to capture the heart of a family-run business shaped by generations of tradition. He shares the realities of making an independent documentary, working with actor David Duchovny to narrate the film, and collaborating with six-time Grammy-winning saxophonist David Sanborn on the score. “Veselka: The Rainbow on the Corner at the Center of the World” is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video, Tubi, Canopy, and other streaming platforms. Reel Ukraine is additionally available to listen to on YouTube, Spotify and Apple.
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Reel Ukraine Ep. 1 Checkpoint Zoo
Jan 2500:33:43Tap to summarizeWhat happens when a zoo becomes a war zone? Zorianna and Roxy speak with director Joshua Zeman about Checkpoint Zoo, a powerful documentary following Ukrainian volunteers on the outskirts of the city of Kharkiv who risk their lives to save more than 5,000 animals from a beloved zoo caught directly in the line of fire during ruzzia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. As bombs fall on Kharkiv, Zeman chronicles a daring rescue mission about a group of unlikely heroes evacuating lions, bears, chimps, kangaroos, and other species using nothing but instinct, courage, and cell phones. Executive produced by Leonardo DiCaprio, with viral video footage spotlighted on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Checkpoint Zoo captures compassion, innocence, and the instinct to protect life when everything else is falling apart.
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