Will Sean Penn be remembered as the Edward R Murrow of Ukraine?
Following in the footsteps of the legendary commentator whose radio broadcasts during the London Blitz made him a household word, Penn is now in the thick of things in Kyiv.
The Oscar-winning actor returned to Ukraine this week to continue work on a documentary that is being produced Vice Studios in tandem with Vice World News and Endeavor Content.
On Thursday, Penn was seen at a press briefing at the office of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which lauded the actor’s commitment in a statement that read in part: “The director speci[fic]ally came to Kyiv to record all the events that are currently happening in Ukraine and to tell the world the truth about Russia’s invasion of our country. Sean Penn is among those who support Ukraine in Ukraine today. Our country is grateful to him for such a show of courage and honesty.
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In a not-so-veiled criticism of Donald Trump, who called the invasion an “act of genius,” the statement continued: “Sean Penn is demonstrating bravery that many others have been lacking, in particular some Western politicians. The more people like that — true friends of Ukraine, who support the fight for freedom — the quicker we can stop this heinous invasion by Russia.”
The Ukraine documentary represents yet another of Penn’s film projects about humanitarian issues. His 2020 film for Discover Plus, Citizen Penn, described his activities after the Haitian earthquake of 2010, which prompted him to found a nonprofit called Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE). In 2002, Penn directed one of the 11 segments of September 11, a cinematic tribute to the 9/11 attacks.