PRESS KIT
Beyond Bucha
Finding the Spirit in Ukraine, From the Churches to the Front
Finding the Spirit in Ukraine, From the Churches to the Front
Poster - Hi Rez
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Trailer
Check out the trailer by clicking here! |
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Stills
Synopsis
Introduction
Beyond Bucha is a journey through the evangelical heart of Ukraine—part documentary, part travelogue, and wholly focused on faith under fire. Filmed in fall 2024 across cities like Kyiv, Bucha, Kharkiv, and Odesa, this third installment revisits familiar ground while exploring front-line regions where worship continues despite constant threat. In free Ukraine, churches gather openly; under Russian occupation, evangelical worship is banned, churches are shuttered or seized, and pastors are imprisoned. Beyond Bucha exposes the existential threat Ukrainian evangelicals face and counters false claims—such as Tucker Carlson’s
Introduction
Beyond Bucha is a journey through the evangelical heart of Ukraine—part documentary, part travelogue, and wholly focused on faith under fire. Filmed in fall 2024 across cities like Kyiv, Bucha, Kharkiv, and Odesa, this third installment revisits familiar ground while exploring front-line regions where worship continues despite constant threat. In free Ukraine, churches gather openly; under Russian occupation, evangelical worship is banned, churches are shuttered or seized, and pastors are imprisoned. Beyond Bucha exposes the existential threat Ukrainian evangelicals face and counters false claims—such as Tucker Carlson’s
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Chapter 1: Bucha
In Bucha, we revisit familiar faces, including Julia, the café owner featured in Back to Bucha. Her story of returning to rebuild in 2022 was powerful enough—but now, in 2024, she’s opening another spot: Jul’s Coffee and Cocktails. She offers duck breast and tiramisu alongside espresso and faith, not for profit but to restore her city’s economy. A petite cross around her neck reflects a deeper conviction—her belief in God, her country, and Bucha’s future. Hers is just one example of what could be called “faith-based capitalism,” alive and well across Ukraine. For a deeper dive since the initial destruction of her coffee shop in February 2022, check out Back to Bucha (Again) and Insights from Ukraine’s Faith-Based Capitalism. At Bethany Baptist in Bucha, we meet Pastor Oleksandr Kulbych, a fourth-generation preacher whose great-grandfather was imprisoned during the Soviet era. His congregation still bears the scars of Russian occupation—some members were killed, others are now on the front lines, and PTSD is widespread. Yet the church persists. For more from this Baptist leader check out Bethany Baptist Church - Bucha, Ukraine. |
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Chapter 2: Irpin
In Irpin, we visit a thriving congregation at Irpin Bible Church, led by Pastor Mykola Romaniuk. This dynamic and modern Baptist church features a theater-style chapel, a worship band, and is filled with families and spirit. However, the church’s story took a dramatic turn in February 2022, when Russia invaded from the north. Russian forces shelled the area from occupied Bucha as they attempted to advance on Kyiv. They came close but were ultimately halted in Irpin and forced to retreat. The attached short video briefly captures a typical Sunday service, as well as an interview with Pastor Romaniuk including a dismantling of the disinformation that Ukraine persecutes Christians. In the he also shares how faith, hope, service, and fellowship help sustain the faithful through wartime, and can actually strengthen both the church and its members. For more about the church and pastor check out: Irpin Bible Church – Irpin, Ukraine. |
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Director's Statement
The biggest reason I went to Ukraine to shoot this film was to dispel the misconception that Christians are being persecuted there. Hopefully, the film achieves that, as this idea is simply not true. Some Russian Orthodox priests have been arrested, but these individuals have acted as mouthpieces for and supporters of Russia. Increasingly, only patriots are welcome members of Ukraine’s clergy. Yet even now, the Russian Church carries on as Ukrainian Orthodox followers find it difficult to move out of their comfort zones.
My evangelical roots, having grown up in the Nazarene Church, give me a deep connection with evangelicals, even as I now lean more toward mainline Christianity as an Episcopalian. Though my faith journey has evolved, I have never strayed far from my roots and frequently visit Pentecostal, Baptist, and non-denominational churches across the U.S. The majority of my mailing list and followers come from these evangelical communities.
While Beyond Bucha certainly focuses on documenting the diversity of evangelical churches in Ukraine, it also captures the backdrop of the cities where I filmed: Kyiv, Bucha, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, and Vinnytsia during the 2023-2024 holiday season and again in the fall of 2024. If viewers are interested in the realities of life in cities near the front lines, they will certainly find that—especially as they hear mostly English-speaking interviewees discuss their experiences, the histories of their churches, and the challenges they face, including the shortage of men and the profound impact of PTSD on nearly everyone. Their experiences in the war and the effects on their congregations are central to the stories.
For more click here.
The biggest reason I went to Ukraine to shoot this film was to dispel the misconception that Christians are being persecuted there. Hopefully, the film achieves that, as this idea is simply not true. Some Russian Orthodox priests have been arrested, but these individuals have acted as mouthpieces for and supporters of Russia. Increasingly, only patriots are welcome members of Ukraine’s clergy. Yet even now, the Russian Church carries on as Ukrainian Orthodox followers find it difficult to move out of their comfort zones.
My evangelical roots, having grown up in the Nazarene Church, give me a deep connection with evangelicals, even as I now lean more toward mainline Christianity as an Episcopalian. Though my faith journey has evolved, I have never strayed far from my roots and frequently visit Pentecostal, Baptist, and non-denominational churches across the U.S. The majority of my mailing list and followers come from these evangelical communities.
While Beyond Bucha certainly focuses on documenting the diversity of evangelical churches in Ukraine, it also captures the backdrop of the cities where I filmed: Kyiv, Bucha, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, and Vinnytsia during the 2023-2024 holiday season and again in the fall of 2024. If viewers are interested in the realities of life in cities near the front lines, they will certainly find that—especially as they hear mostly English-speaking interviewees discuss their experiences, the histories of their churches, and the challenges they face, including the shortage of men and the profound impact of PTSD on nearly everyone. Their experiences in the war and the effects on their congregations are central to the stories.
For more click here.
Steve’s film is critical for mainstream America to see so that US support of Ukraine doesn’t falter. - Alex Gamota, Boston
Our Partners
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Ukrainian Catholic University
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In every human Breast, God has implanted a Principle, which we call Love of Freedom; it is impatient of Oppression, and pants for Deliverance. - Phillis Wheatley - 1774