Reel Ukraine

Zorianna Kit and Roxy Toporowych
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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.

Episodes

  1. Reel Ukraine - Ep.2 - Veselka

    4D AGO

    Reel Ukraine - Ep.2 - Veselka

    Filmmaker 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.

  2. Reel Ukraine Ep. 1 Checkpoint Zoo

    JAN 25

    Reel Ukraine Ep. 1 Checkpoint Zoo

    What 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.

    34 min
  • 2 Episodes

About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    Zorianna Kit and Roxy Toporowych
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    2
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Reel Ukraine