Come hear Paul Zalucky, retired CIA bureau chief in Kyiv and Moscow, speak about the situation in Ukraine and see “The Earth is Blue as an Orange,” a moving film made in Ukraine about a family who created their own motion picture amidst the bombings in Donbas in 2014.

This is a free community event on Tuesday, May 24 at 7 p.m. Wine and cheese will be served in the lobby prior to the film. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Come early to meet Mr. Zalucky and find your seat.

Zalucky, a resident of Southport, spent 28 years as a CIA officer, including bureau chief in Moscow, Kyiv and Warsaw between 1984 and 2007. He will give us his insights into the current situation in Ukraine as the bombing moves into the Donbas region where Russia started the war in 2014. Zalucky is of Ukrainian heritage, speaks Russian, Ukrainian and Polish, frequently travels to the area and is actively involved with HelpUkraine22, a non-profit charity his colleagues in Kyiv created to provide medical and humanitarian aid to Ukraine’s civilian population during this brutal war.

On this special Ukraine Night, consider a donation to this charity, or one of your choice, to honor those who have died in the last three months in Ukraine and to help those who are trying to escape, or survive amidst the rubble of their former homes. Go to HelpUkraine22.org for more information. Donation jars will be available in the lobby.

“The Earth is Blue as an Orange,” (NR-1 hour 14 minutes) centers on one family living in the front-line war zone of Donbas, 2014. While the outside world was made up of bombings and chaos, single mother Anna and her family managed to keep their home a safe haven, full of life and light, by shooting a film inspired by their own life during a time of war. The creative process raises the question of what kind of power the magical world of cinema could have during times of disaster. For Anna and the children, transforming trauma into a work of art was the ultimate way to stay human.

Director Anna Kapustina, who won the Directing Award in the “World Cinema Documentary” category for the film at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, says, “We’ve made this film about a family trying to pick up the pieces of their world through filming their family but it turned out to be a therapeutic experience for all of us: we’ve all become one family captured in a front-line city. We’ve all made our own way through war and despair to regain our strength through people, and I’m honored to invite the audience to take this journey now.”

Covid policy: In accordance with CDC guidelines, masks are not required, but still highly recommended, especially as you enter and move around the theater. Consider only removing your mask to eat or drink. Theater capacity is now 100%, but please practice social distancing when choosing your seat. We want this to be a safe and comfortable environment for all.

ADA-mandated Audio Descriptive (AD) and Closed Caption (CC) devices available for the visually and hearing-impaired. Inquire at the concession stand.