Checkpoint Zoo
2024 documentary film about the war in Ukraine
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Checkpoint Zoo is a 2024 American documentary film directed by Joshua Zeman. The film follows a group of Ukrainian zookeepers and volunteers who risked their lives to rescue animals trapped in Feldman Ecopark during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[1] The film had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival and received positive reviews from critics.
| Checkpoint Zoo | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Joshua Zeman |
| Written by | Joshua Zeman, Daniel Lonsbury |
| Produced by | Joshua Zeman, Zachary Mortensen, Ian Davies, Torquil Jones |
| Cinematography | Nelson Hume, Olivier Sarbil |
| Edited by | Cy Christiansen, Andrew Ford, Kelly Kendrick, Daniel Lonsbury |
| Music by | Anne Nikitin |
Production companies | Ghost Robot, Noah Media Group |
Release date |
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Running time | 107 minutes |
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Synopsis
The documentary deals with the 71-day rescue mission to evacuate thousands of animals from Kharkiv’s Feldman Ecopark, which was shelled with Russian artillery during the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.[2][3]
Production
Release
Checkpoint Zoo had its world premiere at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival on June 6, 2024,[5] On October 4, 2025, the film was made available globally for one day only via the Gathr Direct-to-Audience VOD platform in honor of World Animal Day.[6]
Critical response
The film was praised by critics for its emotional storytelling and depiction of human-animal compassion during wartime.[2][7][8][9] Britt Collins of The Daily Beast wrote that it as "a work of heart-stopping suspense and tenderness."[10] Dennis Harvey of Variety praised Joshua Zeman's direction, describing it as polished and suspenseful.[3]
Awards and honors
| Award | Date | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palm Springs International Film Festival | January 2025 | Desert Views Award, Audience Award | Checkpoint Zoo | Won | |
| Annapolis Film Festival | March 2025 | Jury Prize | Checkpoint Zoo | Won | |
| Mill Valley Film Festival | October 2025 | Audience Award | Checkpoint Zoo | Won | |
| Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival | April 2025 | Best Documentary | Checkpoint Zoo | Won | |
| Salem Film Festival | March 2025 | Audience Award: Best Film | Checkpoint Zoo | Won | |
| OKO International Ethnographic Film Festival | September 2025 | Jury Grand Prize | Checkpoint Zoo | Nominee | |
| Tribeca Film Festival | June 2024 | Audience Award (2nd Place) | Checkpoint Zoo | Won | [5] |
| Hamptons International Film Festival | October 2024 | Zelda Penzel "Giving Voice to the Voiceless" Award | Checkpoint Zoo | Won | [11] |
| Miami International Film Festival | April 2025 | Documentary Achievement Jury Award | Checkpoint Zoo | Won | [11] |