Ukrainian Filmmaker To Premiere NHL Documentary In Baltimore County, Proceeds To Benefit Ukraine
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- This weekend in Baltimore County, a Ukrainian filmmaker is premiering his documentary about Ukrainian hockey players in the NHL to raise money for war relief efforts in Ukraine.
Volodymyr Mula's film UKE: The Untold Story of Hockey Legends is being shown only once this Sunday at 3 p.m. at Flagship Cinemas Eastpoint and FPX Events.
The film features hockey players of Ukranian descent who Mula interviewed and did research on from 2017 to 2020.
"My message my goal is to show that we have a lot of Stanley Cup winners with Ukrainian background," said Mula.
Mula found dozens of players while doing his research and traveled across the U.S. and Canada to create the documentary.
"We did whole investigation and we found more than 50 Ukrainians who won Stanley Cup," he said. "Even the best hockey player of all time Wayne Gretzky is of Ukrainian descent."
The Wegner family who operates the cinema found out about the film through members of the Ukranian community in Baltimore. They were going to host the screening for the film earlier but the pandemic delayed the event and then the war in Ukraine began.
"Volodymyr being from Ukraine was mandated by the government to stay in Ukraine," said Zach Wenger, Director of Operations for Flagship Premium Cinemas Eastpoint FPX Events Live.
Mula, got special permission to come over from Kiev to raise money for his country. Men in Ukraine are currently not allowed to cross the border because they may be called to fight.
"I really want to help Ukraine and to help the Ukrainian people and I think it's a good time to show my documentary," said Mula.
Tickets for the movie screening cost $30 and all of the proceeds from it are going to support the Ukrainian army and the Ukrainian people. Mula said first aid kits and food will be purchased.
"I would like to ask people of Baltimore please join me in this event because it's not only important to me it's very very important to all of Ukraine," he said.
You can buy tickets at fpxevents.com. Doors for the screening open at 2 p.m.