Treating PTSD Among Ukrainian Military Veterans: Ukrainian Action & Matchstick Productions to Co-produce Documentary Film
23 Aug 2023
Treating PTSD Among Ukrainian Military Veterans: Ukrainian Action & Matchstick Productions to Co-produce Documentary Film
Collaboration seeks to raise public awareness of post-traumatic stress disorder suffered by Ukrainian veterans of Russia’s war
Nonprofit organization co-founded and led by returned US Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine teams with most award-winning ski film company in history
Documentary depicts Taras Bihus’ journey from Ukrainian professional snowboarder to frontline volunteer soldier to Army vet recovering from PTSD in Carpathian Mountains
LONDON and CRESTED BUTTE, Colo.—Aug. 22, 2023—Ukrainian Action, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the survival and recovery of Ukraine, is collaborating with Matchstick Productions to make a documentary film highlighting the challenges confronting Ukraine’s military veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
“Russia’s war against Ukraine has resulted in a still-growing national mental-health crisis,” said Jeffrey Hartman, Ukrainian Action co-founder and CEO. “Thousands of Ukrainian vets are returning from the front with PTSD. These men and women desperately need treatment. The awareness and funds raised with the help of Matchstick Productions in creating this film will assist Ukrainian Action’s upcoming program to treat those inflicted with invisible wounds using the healing power of the mountains.”
Ukrainian Action celebrated its 40th humanitarian-aid convoy to Ukraine at the end of July. The organization has donated more than 200 trucks and $3 million worth of physical goods to the people of Ukraine. Those goods include medical equipment for frontline surgeons, protective clothing, power generators and educational materials. A convoy of vehicles, often including pickup trucks and ambulances, departs from London to Ukraine every two weeks.
Ukrainian Action already supplies grants to a local Ukrainian charity providing free mental health care to women and children affected by the war. To date, the organization has disbursed over $55,000 in grant funding to recovery projects. Ukrainian Action is run by over 35 volunteer members, more than 250 volunteer drivers and donors surpassing 1,200.
“Our film is not a documentary that looks back at some past war,” said Director Zeppelin Zeerip. “This documentary is about a war that’s happening right now, today, with a real chance to have a genuine impact. We’re making this to help veterans of Ukraine’s armed forces who are hurting due to the trauma they’ve endured. The film will conclude with a call-to-action slide that supplies Ukrainian Action’s information so viewers can donate to this critical cause.”
Hartman brought Matchstick filmmakers Zeerip and Ben Sturgulewski to Ukraine in March, when they shot nine days’ worth of footage.
Zeerip and his Matchstick colleagues launched an online fundraising campaign on Aug. 16 for Ukrainian Action. To donate, go here. The filmmakers will recognize donors in the movie’s credits. Anyone contributing will earn a “thank-you” credit at the film’s end. Those who give between $5,000 and $9,999 will receive a co-producer credit. Those who donate $10,000 or more will receive an executive-producer credit. All donations are tax-deductible.
Titled, “Taras,” the documentary follows Taras Bihus, a Ukrainian professional snowboarder who volunteered to defend his country after Russia invaded on Feb. 24, 2022. Taras served on the front lines for five months before being discharged due to the aggravation of a previous injury. Now a member of Ukraine’s army reserve force, Taras lives in the Carpathian Mountains. He struggles for serenity amid the range’s natural beauty and the memories of conflict that haunt him. Reassimilating into society is difficult for Taras—particularly when the threat of being called back to fight is ever present.
Hartman, his Ukrainian-born wife, Natasha, and ice hockey teammate, Matthew Morgan, co-founded Ukrainian Action weeks after Russia’s full-scale invasion last year. It began with Hartman and Morgan buying two pickup trucks, then driving to Ukraine to donate them to Hartman’s long-time friends who were under Russian attack. Ukrainian Action operates in complete transparency so donors to the cause feel connected to the endeavor. People may follow convoy shipments and progress through the organization’s Instagram account.
How to help
To support the film, please visit the GoFundMe page.
To donate or volunteer, please visit www.ukrainianaction.com. To buy Ukrainian Action merchandise to support the relief effort, please the organization’s online store. All profits go to support the delivery of trucks and materials to Ukraine. To follow Ukrainian Action on its social media accounts, please visit its Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn pages.
About Ukrainian Action
Headquartered in London, Ukrainian Action is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the survival and recovery of Ukraine. Co-founded weeks after Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, by CEO Jeffrey Hartman, his Ukrainian-born wife, Natasha, and Matthew Morgan, Ukrainian Action has donated more than 200 trucks and $3 million worth of physical goods to the people of Ukraine. The organization boasts 35 volunteer members, more than 250 volunteer drivers and donors surpassing 1,200. Ukrainian Action is registered with the United Kingdom Charity Commission with UK Registered Charity Number 1202133, and is a U.S. tax-exempt public charity under 501(c)(3): FEIN 88-1173971. All donations from individual UK and U.S. taxpayers are tax-deductible. To learn more, please visit: www.ukrainianaction.com.
About Matchstick Productions
Based in Crested Butte, Colo., Matchstick Productions is the most award-winning ski film company in history with 21 “Movie of the Year” awards, a “Best Documentary” award, three Emmy nominations for outstanding camerawork, a “Viewers’ Choice” runner-up award at Tribeca Film Festival, and countless honors for editing and cinematography. Matchstick boasts more than 250,000 followers on social media, YouTube and Vimeo. To learn more, please visit: https://matchstickpro.com.
Media contact
Jeffrey Hartman
Co-founder and CEO
