Back to Bucha - Ukraine Premiere!

Livestreaming From Bucha This Friday January 5th at 12:00 Noon ESTIt seems like only yesterday when we first walked into a blown-out Jul’s coffee shop just days after the Russian retreat from Bucha. No electricity, no water, no windows, just a few shell-shocked workers sweeping up broken glass in the cold trying to get to the point when they could offer free coffee to workers and neighbors starting to rebuild.

It is a fitting place to hold the Ukraine premiere of Back to Bucha as it holds such a prominent place in the film, including an interview with Julia, the shop’s owner who has rebuilt the place with the help of so many. The picture we are using to promote the event is of she and her daughter from a year ago when visiting the renovated shop, newly rechristened as Jul’s Coffee and Peace (https://www.julscoffee.com/en).

Taken all together they display the best of Ukraine and its Spirit. Because while Bucha is remembered for the atrocities committed there (Bucha massacre - Wikipedia) it is also the site of Ukraine’s first victory of the war as they forced the Russians into a humiliating retreat a month later; an example of what Ukrainians are capable of when provided state-of-the-art weapons like Javelin missiles.

Bear Witness, the film's Executive Producer, is sponsoring the free event which doubles as a fundraiser. Which is where our supporters and friends can make a difference. We will be livestreaming the hour-long screening beginning at 12 noon east coast time (7:00 PM Bucha time). Additional screenings will also be held at Jul’s for the citizens of Bucha on Saturday and Sunday. After the screening director Steve Richards will be joined by Julia and others from the film for a Q&A session. Ivan Rusyn from the Ukrainian Evangelical Theological Seminary will also be in attendance and join in from Bucha.

​50% of the event’s net proceeds will go to providing free bags of Jul’s coffee to soldiers on the front lines. Here's a video of a soldier making a cup of Jul’s milled coffee at the front:

She has personally sent more than 500 bags so far.

To attend this event virtually go to: https://watch.showandtell.film/watch/backtobucha. 

See you there!