Checkpoint Zoo Documentary Poster Sets Up A 2022 Ukrainian Animal Rescue Story

Summary Checkpoint Zoo offers a unique perspective on war through the lens of a dramatic animal rescue during Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Normal people facing a war-torn reality in Kharkiv take center stage in this documentary, highlighting the impact on daily life.

The film's release amidst ongoing conflict serves as a poignant reminder of the ongoing struggle and resilience of the people of Ukraine.

Checkpoint Zoo is a new documentary premiering at Tribeca Film Festival 2024, and Screen Rant has a first look at the poster. The film is the latest documentary by Joshua Zeman, whose past work includes the true crime documentary Cropsey and the unique nature documentary The Loneliest Whale: The Search for 52. Checkpoint Zoo details an attempt to rescue 5,000 animals from a zoo in Kharkiv, Ukraine during the early days of Russia’s unprovoked invasion of the country.

Screen Rant is happy to debut the official poster for Checkpoint Zoo, which evokes the documentary’s central struggle. The movie premieres at Tribeca Film Festival and will screen publicly three times during the festival. For those attending, the movie can be seen Thursday, June 6 at 5:00 PM at Village East Cinema, Sunday, June 9 at 8:15 at AMC 19th St. East, or Thursday, June 13 at 5:15 PM at AMC 19th St. East.

Why Checkpoint Zoo Could Be An Especially Effective War Documentary

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Checkpoint Zoo is a documentary about a dramatic rescue in the middle of a warzone, and its unique subject and small scale are likely to make it stand out from other war-related films. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is much larger than the story Checkpoint Zoo tells, but by showing what the park’s keepers and volunteers did to help those who could not help themselves, the film can help drive the stakes of the war home for viewers. Zeman had unrestricted access to Feldman Ecopark while making the documentary, helping ensure that the documentary is an accurate and effective accounting of what happened.

Zeman’s film is also a documentary about normal people—not soldiers or generals—keeping audiences grounded. Checkpoint Zoo shows how daily life was dramatically altered for the people of Kharkiv, and how nothing can be taken for granted in a situation like the one presented to them. The question of what happens to zoo animals in wartime is not typically on the mind of most people watching from afar, but it’s a striking example of how drastically everything can suddenly change.

What may be most effective about Checkpoint Zoo is that it tells a story within a broader struggle that is still happening. Many of the best documentaries are released after the stories they tell have concluded, but while the evacuation of Feldman Ecopark started and finished in 2022, Russia’s assault on Ukraine has continued into 2024. As other tragic events have dominated global media, Checkpoint Zoo serves as a reminder of the continued struggle and resilience of the people of Ukraine