Veselka: The Rainbow on the Corner at the Center of the World

The minute I heard there was going to be a documentary made about the incredible East Village haunt, Veselka, I knew I had to watch. Am I glad I did!

I walked away from this movie completely moved. A powerful story of community, the impact small businesses play in the fabric of world events (in this case, the war in Ukraine), and family.

The empathy, great sense of community care, vulnerability, and joy of the people featured in the documentary is palpable. You can feel their impact and intentions emanate from the screen.

I encourage all to watch Veselka and to find the people doing this important work in their own communities. This is how we change the world.

This is such an incredible and moving movie that shows not only the ins and outs of a locally loved restaurant, but of a family that truly sticks together during tough times. This movie shows you just how hard the war has hit Ukrainians and how they have banded together to help one another. You will see some of the harsh realities but you will also experience the powerful love they all share and how they overcome such terrible circumstances. The owners of Veselka are some truly wonderful people and will have you marveling at their generosity and tenacity. A remarkable piece that I cannot recommend enough!

As a 30 resident of NYC, who clubbed in the East Village in the good old days, Veselka was an infamous NYC institution that everyone knew for the 24/7. Before social media, before the Internet, and before mobile phones, it was a place that people connected, socialized, ate Re, drank, and lived.

There's no way possible the producers could have ever imagined how poignant and important this documentary is, given just this past week in politics.

I might have initially given it seven stars. There's a much deeper moment in history going on here, especially when put side-to-side to current affairs. For those of you who don't know the legacy, or lived in NYC, I think the story couldn't be more relevant to each and every one of us, on levels were about to understand. The historical parallels, the absolute honesty to the story, and moreover a reminder that empathy and humanity must prevail . . . .It just has to.

"Go see it!" is all I can say about Veselka! It is full of beautiful, heartwarming, moving, timely and raw human stories. With music by David Sanborn, narration by David Duchovny, the stories bring you into the film. Directed, produced, written and edited by the talented and creative Michael Fiore, the movie is a reminder of real life and the struggles that people face with war, even thousands of miles away. But Veselka also reminds me that food and eateries, especially internationally focused ones, allow people to gather to do more than just eat. Even more, the movie shows that there are good humans in the world making a difference for the better. The world needs to see these impactful stories.

I believe that all Americans should know the story of Veselka, especially American men who feel lost.

The men of the Veselka family are immigrants and American born who know the existential terror of tyranny or are terrorized for the people of Ukraine. They are bonded to protect their families and freedom by their courage, compassion, love and hard work. I believe that this beautiful film also speaks to American men in search of their own meaning and power within.

A victory for Ukraine will be a victory for America.

Thank you for bringing the lives of the gentle and strong Veselka family to us.

Cathy Zadoretzky.