Beyond Bucha Production Tour Begins September 16th

I am excited to announce the dates for the upcoming Beyond Bucha Production Tour.

This tour will take me and my camera across Ukraine, with a particular focus on the eastern regions. As the third installment in the Trek to Bucha series, which began with a shoot in March 2022, this film aims to document the faithful and their places of worship near and at the front lines, helping to counter Russian disinformation about religious freedom in Ukraine. All dates and locales are, of course, subject to change depending upon conditions on the ground.

Warsaw - September 16-17
The first stop is Warsaw, which was also the starting point of my original trek in March 2022.
 
Kyiv - September 18-22
Kyiv is always a highlight of my trips to Ukraine. I look forward to catching up with those from the previous films before heading out to Bucha.
 
Bucha/Irpin - September 23-25
Ground zero for all three films in the series, I’ll be getting updates from those featured in the prior films.

Kharkiv - September 26-29
Kharkiv is a top stop where I plan to connect with the Evangelical church whose pastor we met in "Back to Bucha."
 
Dnipro - September 30 - October 6
Known as “Rocket City” during the Cold War, Dnipro is Ukraine’s tech hub on the Dnieper River and a center of Ukrainian Jewish life.
 
Zaporizhzhia - October 7-8
Heading south, I hope to visit the site of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, which was a target of Russian shelling in the early days of the war. This site was a key reason for my original trip to Ukraine.
 
Mykolaiv/Kherson - October 9-13
Southwestward, Mykolaiv offers access to Kherson, which experienced heavy fighting early in the war and was liberated in November 2022. Both cities' proximity to the Black Sea is of strategic importance.
 
Odesa - October 14-16
Continuing west along the Black Sea coast, Odesa is a cultural gem and home to the Transfiguration Cathedral, one of the most notable targets of Russian attacks on holy sites.
 
Vinnytsia - October 17-20
On my way home, I'll return to Vinnytsia, where I spent part of my holidays earlier this year. We plan to interview clergy at the first Orthodox church in Ukraine that broke away from the Moscow Patriarchate.
 
Lviv – October 21-23
The shoot concludes in Lviv, the first city I visited in Ukraine. Home to the Ukrainian Catholic University, it was here that I reformulated my plans, which ultimately led me to Bucha as the Russians retreated in April 2022.

The journey promises to be an enlightening and powerful experience, shedding light on the resilience and faith of the Ukrainian people amid the ongoing war.

Beyond Bucha Production Tour - Route

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Thank you so much to everyone who has donated funds to get us to this point, especially Alex Gamota and Bear Witness, the Executive Producers of all three films in the series. Major donors also include Tony Taylor and Yaryna, as well as Robert Weiss and his generous friends. Thanks to all!
 
We are currently at just over 60% of our $42,738 funding goal for the film, so there is still much to be done to reach our target and complete the project.

Join Us!