Dallas Witnesses Two Unexpected Aspects of Ukraine's Ongoing Conflict
In the heart of Texas, viewers can watch the powerful documentary Kherson: Human Safari for free online. This emotional portrayal of the Ukrainian front-line city of Kherson, created by American journalist Zarina Zabrisky, offers a glimpse into the devastating effects of warfare on the city's residents and infrastructure.
Since filming ended in June, the situation in Kherson has deteriorated, according to Zabrisky. The documentary explores the severe impact of the conflict on Kherson’s population, reduced from 280,000 to about 71,000, and its damaged infrastructure, environment, and the persistent human spirit of resistance and survival in the face of brutal Russian drone warfare and artillery attacks.
The title "Human Safari" refers to the term used by locals for Russian tactics involving drone attacks that deliberately target civilians. These Russian drones, often equipped with explosives, incendiary devices, and banned anti-personnel mines, hunt individuals in the streets, fields, and backyards, inflicting terror and mass casualties. This ongoing campaign of aerial attacks and destruction of civilian infrastructure—including homes, gas pipelines, and electrical facilities—has been identified by organizations such as Human Rights Watch and the United Nations as war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The documentary captures the trauma and resilience of Kherson’s population caught in this "human safari" of drone warfare. It also serves as a call for global awareness and action to stop the daily massacres and atrocities inflicted on civilians. Through its imagery, including the haunting repetition of the song "Dream a Little Dream of Me," the film urges viewers to dream of and work toward a world free from such nightmarish violence.
Meanwhile, in Dallas, contemporary artist Hanna Chekodanova, who moved to the city as a refugee from Ukraine two years ago, is showcasing her petrykivka art at Dallas City Hall. Petrykivka is a traditional Ukrainian decorative painting style, included in UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage. Chekodanova, who has been making petrykivka art for over 25 years, conducts local workshops and online classes for this unique art form.
Her painting Faith features a mother and child gazing at each other, symbolizing faith in the future amid uncertainty. Another piece, Sound of Silence, represents the silence every Ukrainian is yearning for amid the war. However, Chekodanova is leaving the United States due to a change in the federal government's attitude towards immigrants.
The screening and Q&A of Kherson: Human Safari will be held at the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library in Dallas on August 10 at 1 p.m. This event is expected to be the first public screening of the film in the U.S. Beth Huddleston, chief of protocol and international relations with Mayor Eric Johnson's office, stated that the exhibition highlights Dallas' support of the Ukrainian people.
The city of Dallas has a friendship agreement with Kharkiv, the second largest city in Ukraine. Over 13,500 civilians have been killed and over 34,000 civilians injured in Ukraine since the full-scale Russian invasion, according to the United Nations. The documentary aims to humanize the cost of war, challenge indifference, and remind folks that human rights are not a matter of geography or nationality.
References:
- https://www.dallasnews.com/entertainment/2023/08/01/documentary-kherson-human-safari-to-be-screened-at-dallas-library-on-aug-10/
- https://www.dallasobserver.com/arts/the-human-safari-of-kherson-a-documentary-about-the-ukrainian-city-under-drone-attacks-11658398
- https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/04/20/ukraine-russia-war-crimes-against-civilians-persist
- https://www.un.org/ukraine
- https://www.un.org/ukraine/human-rights-situation-in-ukraine/
- The documentary, "Kherson: Human Safari," showcases the devastating effects of warfare on a Ukrainian city and serves as a call for global awareness and action, given that the situation in Kherson has worsened since filming ended in June.
- Meanwhile, in Dallas, contemporary artist Hanna Chekodanova, a refugee from Ukraine, showcases her petrykivka art at Dallas City Hall, symbolizing faith in the future amid uncertainty and the silence every Ukrainian is yearning for amid the war.
- The screening and Q&A of "Kherson: Human Safari" will be held in Dallas on August 10, highlighting Dallas' support of the Ukrainian people in the face of ongoing war-and-conflicts and human rights violations, as reported by Human Rights Watch and the United Nations.
