The documentary film Rescue will make its Ukrainian premiere at the Odesa International Film Festival, which takes place in Kyiv from August 27 to September 4, 2026.
The project was created as a co-production between the American independent production company We Are All Animals and the Ukrainian organization Every Animal.
Over four years of full-scale invasion, thousands of animals, ranging from household pets to livestock, have been left behind in active combat zones. Very few people return to rescue them. The subjects of the film travel directly into front-line areas under the threat of shelling to carry out rescue operations. More than 30,000 animals have been saved in this way since the start of the full-scale invasion.
Front-line evacuations and featured rescuers
Filming took place across active front-line regions, including Kostiantynivka, Pokrovsk, the Kharkiv region, and Zaporizhzhia. The documentary follows rescuers from around the world who are united by the conviction that every life matters.
The featured rescuers include a former Ukrainian soldier who turned to animal rescue, a Swiss volunteer who gave up a safe life to assist, a Bulgarian woman who moved to Ukraine at the start of the invasion to save cats, and an Italian founder of an animal shelter in the Kyiv region who chose to stay.
Among the rescued animals featured in the story is a baby goat named Olenka, who was evacuated from a bombed village. Olenka became a symbol of the documentary and a reminder of the weight behind every rescue decision.
Tamara Human, producer of the film, activist, and head of Every Animal, said that animals often remain invisible during wartime, particularly livestock. She noted that Rescue demonstrates that every life deserves to be saved, explaining that the film explores ethical choices under extreme conditions and compassion as a conscious, radical act. She added that she felt confident Ukrainian audiences would connect with stories of brave individuals willing to risk everything for every life.
Production team and festival screenings
British actress and director Sadie Frost, known for her roles in Bram Stoker's Dracula and Final Cut, served as executive producer on the project. Italian-American documentarian Alessio Schiazza directed the film, continuing his exploration of the bond between humans and animals following his 2024 documentary Cuori Liberi, which focused on the fight for animal rights at an Italian shelter.
Schiazza said the documentary represented a turning point in his filmmaking practice. He explained that his work explores the intersection of humanity and social issues to encourage empathy, adding that Rescue examines complex questions of war and compassion while focusing attention on animals in conflict zones that are often overlooked.
The documentary held its international premiere in June 2026 at the Raindance Film Festival in London, the largest independent film festival in the UK, ahead of its upcoming national debut in Kyiv.
