- Category
- Latest news
Sean Penn’s Symbolic $1 Fee in “War Through the Eyes of Animals” Boosts Ukrainian Cinema
- Authors
![Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko]( "Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko")
American actor and director Sean Penn took part in the Ukrainian anthology film War Through the Eyes of Animals for a symbolic fee of one dollar. The project’s producer, Oleh Kokhan, described how the collaboration came together in an interview with Suspilne Culture on November 18.
“When we began this conversation, he asked for the script, watched the filmed material, met with Myroslav Slaboshpytskyi, and said that his fee would be 1 dollar [under SAG rules he cannot work entirely for free],” Kokhan said.
War Through the Eyes of Animals consists of seven short films by seven Ukrainian directors, each based on real animal rescue stories from the war. Penn appears in the segment titled The Eagle.
“Working for 1 dollar in a Ukrainian film is also support for Ukraine. For me, this decision confirmed that he is a very strong ambassador, and that our cinema and its theme resonate with an international audience,” Kokhan noted.
Penn plays an American producer in the film. Kokhan emphasized that his involvement was not used as a publicity stunt, but rather to help draw attention to a project that broadcasters and distributors might otherwise overlook.
“When we started promoting the first three shorts, we clearly understood that festivals were one thing, but broadcasters, distributors, cinemas, online platforms—none of them wanted to show the film. They’re tired,” the producer explained.
-cf274707b3eac402e128e586684ec338.png)
Kokhan added that films depicting war are generally challenging to present, let alone persuade audiences to watch. He emphasized that Sean Penn's involvement was not being exploited, but rather the aim was to draw attention to the film. He clarified that Penn's role in the project was natural, as he played an American producer, not a general.
Earlier, renowned American director Samuel Bayer, famous for his iconic music videos for artists like Nirvana, Metallica, and David Bowie, visited Ukraine at the invitation of the Cultural Forces initiative.
During his visit, Bayer journeyed to frontline areas and recently liberated regions in the east. His objective was to capture not only the devastation and resilience but also the stories of those who endured occupation, lost their homes and families, and to document the indomitable human spirit that continues to shine through the darkness.
-7f54d6f9a1e9b10de9b3e7ee663a18d9.png)
