12/04/2026
Today was a very special event for us at Kastanje and . After weeks of busy planning and organizing by Elena Gontarik Marianna Djulay Tetiana Buts it was so moving to see almost 180 people come together at Theater de Omval for our screening of Animals in War
It was a truly emotional moment to hear a personal message from the film’s producer, Oleg Kohan SOTA Cinema Group who spoke to us directly from Kyiv just before the movie started. His words really brought the heart of the story to life and reminded us all why we were there.
The film itself consists of eight powerful stories of animals and people caught in the war. Everyone in the audience was deeply moved by these stories and the heart-wrenching reality of how many animals have already died since the start of the full-scale invasion of russia against Ukraine.
We are so grateful to everyone who joined us. It was wonderful to see our Ukrainian community alongside so many Dutch and international friends. We also want to give a warm thank you to the Deputy Mayor of Diemen, Alderman Matthijs van den Berg, for his supportive words and for being part of this afternoon.
Sharing this on Orthodox Easter Sunday felt even more significant. It gave us so much hope and a strong belief that humanity will win, the war will end soon, and no human and no animal will have to suffer.
Thank you for your presence and for your donations. Your support is so important for Ukraine right now. 🇺🇦🕊️
KastanjeCenter UWRA TheaterDeOmval StopWar Ukraine
