Best of the Fest 2026 Kickoff: Checkpoint Zoo + Lina. (SJI Library)

Kick off the 2026 Best of the Fest series with a powerful, free double-feature screening of award-winning documentaries Checkpoint Zoo and Lina. at the San Juan Island Library.

Come to the SJI Library on Friday, January 30 at 6 pm for a meet and greet with Lina filmmaker Silke Johnstone. The films begin at 6:30 pm. Immediately following the screening, Silke Johnstone will lead an interactive Q&A. Don’t miss the chance to learn more about the filmmaking process, the real-life events that inspired the films, and the situation in Ukraine.

This is a free event - no tickets or RSVP are required for entry.

About Checkpoint Zoo

Amid the Russian Ukraine war, zookeepers and volunteers risk everything to rescue over 5,000 animals trapped in Kharkiv’s Feldman Ecopark. Featuring powerful firsthand footage, this inspiring film reveals courage, sacrifice, and compassion in the face of unimaginable danger.

About Lina.

Told through a mother’s voice, Lina. follows a Ukrainian family’s perilous escape from Russian occupation in Kherson. Finding refuge offers fragile hope, yet the lasting scars of war reveal the profound cost carried by a child and her mother.

Learn more about this event and the films by clicking here.