Liminal

The Ukrainian-Russian war continues to be one of our world’s most consequential stories. The
stakes are clearer every day—either Russia emboldens totalitarian movements across the globe,
or Ukraine succeeds in protecting itself and democratic alliances for another generation. It is a
story that is often (rightfully) being told as the macro conflict between governments, militaries,
transnational alliances, and good vs evil. However, when I had the opportunity to film a group of
Ukrainian soldiers coming to my hometown of Minneapolis for rehabilitation, I sensed there was
an opportunity to add an intimate human dimension to this enormous global story.
When the soldiers arrived in February 2025 to receive care from Yakov Gradinar and the Protez
Foundation, Ukraine-US relations were already strained. What I initially envisioned as a story
about rehabilitation became something more complex: soldiers learning to accept their
disabilities and use handmade prosthetic limbs—crafted with extreme care—while witnessing
the US government threaten to withdraw support from the very war that cost them their limbs
and, in many cases, their friends, neighbors, and loved ones. While the film incorporates this
political reality, it attempts to also transcend it by using an expressive cinematic language to
evoke something deeply personal, physical, and immediate: the profound care these soldiers
receive, both medical and emotional.
By highlighting Dr. Gradinar’s charismatic leadership and the soldiers’ incredible perseverance,
my hope is that the film becomes a moving testament to human resilience in the face of
trauma, injustice, and adversity. The few weeks I spent filming during this consequential
period—for the soldiers, the war, and Ukraine-US relations—moved and changed me in ways
I’m still processing. What I understand clearly is my gratitude for this opportunity and for the
Ukrainian people, who through their fight for independence are waging a broader war that
implicates all our futures. To contribute in this small way, helping tell the story of what’s at stake
and what’s possible, has been one of the greatest honors of my career.