yespodcastSupport us on Disctopia!fa56e444-6819-430a-8db2-42db2d4bd38eD568820611Reel 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.https://play.disctopia.com/podcasts/reel_ukraineAll rights reserved.Fri, 17 Apr 2026 00:39:12 GMTFri, 17 Apr 2026 00:39:12 GMThttps://cdn2.disctopia.com/disc-podcasts/zoriannakit2894a48ea41_0610_11ee_ae97_9116e347325f247889f0_15d9_11ee_888e_5768629879cc/reel_ukraine/disctopia-reel_ukraine-20260123.pnghttps://play.disctopia.com/podcasts/reel_ukraineenTV & FILMZorianna Kit and Roxy ToporowychReel Ukrainezoriannakit@gmail.comNohttps://play.disctopia.com/podcasts/reel_ukraine130dcd3fe3-db38-43e1-adbd-e3f3ef4461daFilmmaker 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.Reel UkraineFri, 10 Apr 2026 07:00:00 GMTReel Ukraine00:23:33.3027494NoFilmmaker 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.fullhttps://play.disctopia.com/podcasts/reel_ukraine129534122e-ab0a-4ffb-90ac-19dc0b8acb87Filmmaker 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.Reel UkraineSun, 22 Feb 2026 20:00:00 GMTReel Ukraine00:34:08.2872448NoFilmmaker 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.Veslka, food, New York City, Ukraine, war, documentary, film, David Duchovny, Eric Adama, restaurant coffee shop, candy store,fullhttps://play.disctopia.com/podcasts/reel_ukraine003db593cd-0b6b-4702-9b57-92b97560b7f9What 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. Reel UkraineSun, 25 Jan 2026 16:00:00 GMTReel Ukraine00:33:43NoWhat 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. documentary; ukraine; film; interview; Zoo; animalsfull