>> Joy: HOW ARE YOU? ALWAYS GREAT TO SEE. ALWAYS GREAT TO SEE. >> YOU GREAT TO SEE YOU TOO. >> YOU GREAT TO SEE YOU TOO. >> Joy: IT WAS A TERRIFIC >> Joy: IT WAS A TERRIFIC DOCUMENTARY. DOCUMENTARY. WELL DONE. WELL DONE. THIS IS NOT THE FILM YOU HAD THIS IS NOT THE FILM YOU HAD PLANNED TO MAKE. PLANNED TO MAKE. SO EXPLAIN THAT. SO EXPLAIN THAT. >> WELL, THIS IS -- MY PARTNER >> WELL, THIS IS -- MY PARTNER ON THIS, BILLY SMITH, ON THIS, BILLY SMITH, CO-PRODUCER ON IT, HE AND I HAD CO-PRODUCER ON IT, HE AND I HAD TRIED TO MAKE SEVERAL TRIED TO MAKE SEVERAL DOCUMENTARIES OVER THE YEARS AND DOCUMENTARIES OVER THE YEARS AND THEY WERE ALWAYS IN SOME SORT OF THEY WERE ALWAYS IN SOME SORT OF SKETCHY ATMOSPHERE AND THIS ONE SKETCHY ATMOSPHERE AND THIS ONE WAS DIFFERENT IN THE SENSE HE WAS DIFFERENT IN THE SENSE HE HAD COME TO ME. HAD COME TO ME. THIS IS THE PRECOVID PERIOD AND THIS IS THE PRECOVID PERIOD AND WHAT WE KNEW MOST OF US KNEW WHAT WE KNEW MOST OF US KNEW ABOUT PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY WAS ABOUT PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY WAS THAT HE HAD BEEN A COMIC ACTOR THAT HE HAD BEEN A COMIC ACTOR WHO HAD PLAYED A HISTORY TEACHER WHO HAD PLAYED A HISTORY TEACHER THAT HAD BECOME PRESIDENT IN A THAT HAD BECOME PRESIDENT IN A TELEVISION SHOW AND THEN TELEVISION SHOW AND THEN ACTUALLY BECAME PRESIDENT AND WE ACTUALLY BECAME PRESIDENT AND WE KNEW HE HAD HAD A CONTROVERSIAL KNEW HE HAD HAD A CONTROVERSIAL PHONE CALL WITH OUR THEN PHONE CALL WITH OUR THEN PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SO WE PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SO WE WENT TO DO THIS SORT OF WENT TO DO THIS SORT OF LIGHT-HEARTED TALE OF HIM, HIS LIGHT-HEARTED TALE OF HIM, HIS RISE TO THE PRESIDENCY AND TO RISE TO THE PRESIDENCY AND TO SORT OF FIND OURSELVES LEARNING SORT OF FIND OURSELVES LEARNING ABOUT UKRAINE, WHICH HAD BECOME ABOUT UKRAINE, WHICH HAD BECOME A BIT OF A FLASH POINT IN A BIT OF A FLASH POINT IN POLITICAL CONVERSATION AT THE POLITICAL CONVERSATION AT THE TIME. TIME. AND THEN COVID GOT IN THE WAY AND THEN COVID GOT IN THE WAY AND THEN BIT BY BIT THE WORLD AND THEN BIT BY BIT THE WORLD WAS CHANGING AND BY THE TIME WE WAS CHANGING AND BY THE TIME WE WERE ABLE TO GET TO UKRAINE, WE WERE ABLE TO GET TO UKRAINE, WE HAD A VERY DIFFERENT DOCUMENTARY HAD A VERY DIFFERENT DOCUMENTARY ON OUR HANDS. ON OUR HANDS. >> Joy: INDEED. >> Joy: INDEED. INDEED. INDEED. >> Alyssa: THE PRELIMINARY IS SO >> Alyssa: THE PRELIMINARY IS SO GRIPPING AND POWERFUL AND THANK GRIPPING AND POWERFUL AND THANK YOU FOR DOING IT. YOU FOR DOING IT. I THINK IT WILL HELP KEEP THE I THINK IT WILL HELP KEEP THE FOCUS ON THE WAR EFFORT UNDER FOCUS ON THE WAR EFFORT UNDER WAY. WAY. THE PART THAT BLEW MY MIND YOU THE PART THAT BLEW MY MIND YOU MET WITH PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY IN MET WITH PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY IN THE SECRET BUNKER JUST AS THE THE SECRET BUNKER JUST AS THE FIRST BOMBS WERE RAINING DOWN ON FIRST BOMBS WERE RAINING DOWN ON KYIV AND HE WAS TARGET NUMBER KYIV AND HE WAS TARGET NUMBER ONE FOR VLADIMIR PUTIN AND THERE ONE FOR VLADIMIR PUTIN AND THERE WERE MANY OF US IN WESTERN MEDIA WERE MANY OF US IN WESTERN MEDIA WHO WERE NOT SURE HE WAS GOING WHO WERE NOT SURE HE WAS GOING TO SURVIVE THE NIGHT. TO SURVIVE THE NIGHT. WHAT WAS IT LIKE BEING THERE WHAT WAS IT LIKE BEING THERE WITH HIM AT THIS CRITICAL WITH HIM AT THIS CRITICAL MOMENT? MOMENT? >> WELL, IT WAS -- I HAD MET HIM >> WELL, IT WAS -- I HAD MET HIM AND IT WAS A QUIRK OF FATE. AND IT WAS A QUIRK OF FATE. WE HAD BEEN IN KYIV FOR ABOUT A WE HAD BEEN IN KYIV FOR ABOUT A WEEK AND, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, WEEK AND, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, THE TENSION WAS RISING AND WE THE TENSION WAS RISING AND WE KNEW THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE, MANY KNEW THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE, MANY THOUGHT INEVITABLE THAT THE THOUGHT INEVITABLE THAT THE INVASION WAS GOING TO HAPPEN, INVASION WAS GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT I HAD LONG SINCE SAID TO HIM BUT I HAD LONG SINCE SAID TO HIM THAT I DIDN'T -- I DIDN'T WANT THAT I DIDN'T -- I DIDN'T WANT HIM TO FULLY AGREE TO HIM TO FULLY AGREE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DOCUMENTARY PARTICIPATE IN THE DOCUMENTARY UNTIL HE HAD MET ME UNTIL HE HAD MET ME FACE-TO-FACE. FACE-TO-FACE. I JUST MISTRUSTFUL OF ELECTRONIC I JUST MISTRUSTFUL OF ELECTRONIC GET TO KNOW YOUS AND I WANTED GET TO KNOW YOUS AND I WANTED HIM TO TRUST ME AND BE A VERY HIM TO TRUST ME AND BE A VERY OPEN FEELING AND SO AS IT TURNED OPEN FEELING AND SO AS IT TURNED OUT FOR A LOT OF CIRCUMSTANTIAL OUT FOR A LOT OF CIRCUMSTANTIAL REASONS THE VERY FIRST TIME WE REASONS THE VERY FIRST TIME WE ACTUALLY MET FACE-TO-FACE WAS ACTUALLY MET FACE-TO-FACE WAS WITHOUT A CAMERA ON THE 23rd OF WITHOUT A CAMERA ON THE 23rd OF FEBRUARY AND HE AGREED THAT THE FEBRUARY AND HE AGREED THAT THE NEXT DAY WE'D START SHOOTING. NEXT DAY WE'D START SHOOTING. AND SO WE WENT BACK TO OUR HOTEL AND SO WE WENT BACK TO OUR HOTEL AND LAID DOWN FOR A SECOND AND AND LAID DOWN FOR A SECOND AND THE ROCKAWAY BEACHS STARTED THE ROCKAWAY BEACHS STARTED COMING IN. COMING IN. AND WE GOT A CALL FROM THE AND WE GOT A CALL FROM THE PRESIDENT'S OFFICE IN THE PRESIDENT'S OFFICE IN THE MORNING SAYING THAT HE WAS GOING MORNING SAYING THAT HE WAS GOING TO HONOR OUR MEETING THAT DAY TO HONOR OUR MEETING THAT DAY AND SO WE WENT. AND SO WE WENT. >> Alyssa: IN THE FILM YOU HAVE >> Alyssa: IN THE FILM YOU HAVE A PHONE CALL WITH MY FRIEND A PHONE CALL WITH MY FRIEND ROBERT O'BRIEN FORMER STATE ROBERT O'BRIEN FORMER STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TO TELL YOU DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TO TELL YOU TO GET THE HELL OUT AND YOU TO GET THE HELL OUT AND YOU STAYED AND TOOK THE MEETING. STAYED AND TOOK THE MEETING. MANY BELIEVED ZELENSKYY AND MANY BELIEVED ZELENSKYY AND UKRAINE WERE DOOMED AT THE TIME. UKRAINE WERE DOOMED AT THE TIME. DID YOU LEAVE THAT MEETING DID YOU LEAVE THAT MEETING THINKING YOU WOULD EVER SEE HIM THINKING YOU WOULD EVER SEE HIM AGAIN? AGAIN? >> WELL, YOU KNOW, I DON'T GET >> WELL, YOU KNOW, I DON'T GET INTO THIS MUCH IN THE FILM BUT INTO THIS MUCH IN THE FILM BUT WE KNEW THAT THERE WERE CHECHEN WE KNEW THAT THERE WERE CHECHEN KILL SQUADS IN THE STREETS KILL SQUADS IN THE STREETS PRE-POSITIONED WHOSE JOB WAS TO PRE-POSITIONED WHOSE JOB WAS TO KILL HIM AND HIS FAMILY. KILL HIM AND HIS FAMILY. >> Sunny: OH. >> Sunny: OH. >> SO WHEN IT STARTED GETTING >> SO WHEN IT STARTED GETTING HAIRY AND WITH HIM, WHAT HAIRY AND WITH HIM, WHAT HAPPENS, IT'S AN INTERESTING HAPPENS, IT'S AN INTERESTING DYNAMIC. DYNAMIC. WHEN YOU HAVE VERY LITTLE TIME. WHEN YOU HAVE VERY LITTLE TIME. AND IN THE BACK OF YOUR HEAD AND IN THE BACK OF YOUR HEAD THAT PERSON MAY HAVE VERY LITTLE THAT PERSON MAY HAVE VERY LITTLE TIME. TIME. YOU OPEN YOURSELF UP AND SO I YOU OPEN YOURSELF UP AND SO I WALKED OUT OF THERE WITH SUCH A WALKED OUT OF THERE WITH SUCH A STRONG AFFECTION FOR HIM AND STRONG AFFECTION FOR HIM AND SO -- I REMEMBER THE WALK BACK SO -- I REMEMBER THE WALK BACK TO THE HOTEL. TO THE HOTEL. THAT FIRST MONTH I WOULD SAY THAT FIRST MONTH I WOULD SAY IT -- THE NOTION THAT I MIGHT IT -- THE NOTION THAT I MIGHT NOT SEE THAT WARM, INTELLIGENT, NOT SEE THAT WARM, INTELLIGENT, INCREDIBLY BRAVE YOUNG INCREDIBLY BRAVE YOUNG DEMOCRATIC LEADER AGAIN WAS VERY DEMOCRATIC LEADER AGAIN WAS VERY PRESENT AND THEN, YOU KNOW, OVER PRESENT AND THEN, YOU KNOW, OVER TIME WE LIKE TO TELL OURSELVES TIME WE LIKE TO TELL OURSELVES THAT THE DEMON IN MOSCOW WOULD THAT THE DEMON IN MOSCOW WOULD NOT WANT TO MAKE SUCH A MARTYR NOT WANT TO MAKE SUCH A MARTYR OF SOMEONE WHO HAD BECOME SUCH A OF SOMEONE WHO HAD BECOME SUCH A SYMBOL OF HOPE AROUND THE WORLD. SYMBOL OF HOPE AROUND THE WORLD. AND WE STILL TRY TO COMFORT AND WE STILL TRY TO COMFORT OURSELVES WITH THAT. OURSELVES WITH THAT. >> Sunny: WOW. >> Sunny: WOW. I HOPE YOU DON'T MIND. I HOPE YOU DON'T MIND. I'M GOING TO SHARE THIS. I'M GOING TO SHARE THIS. WE SPOKE BACKSTAGE I SAID I WE SPOKE BACKSTAGE I SAID I LOVED YOUR DOCUMENTARY. LOVED YOUR DOCUMENTARY. THAT IS TRUE AN I SAID BUT A THAT IS TRUE AN I SAID BUT A LITTLE UNSAFE FOR YOU AND YOU LITTLE UNSAFE FOR YOU AND YOU SAID MORE SO FOR THEM. SAID MORE SO FOR THEM. MORE SO FOR THEM. MORE SO FOR THEM. SO KUDOS TO YOU FOR JUST DOING SO KUDOS TO YOU FOR JUST DOING THIS WORK. THIS WORK. >> Joy: SEAN GOES INTO ALL SORTS >> Joy: SEAN GOES INTO ALL SORTS OF DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. OF DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. IT'S VERY STRIKING WHEN YOU IT'S VERY STRIKING WHEN YOU WATCH IT HOW THEY ARE SO IN FOR WATCH IT HOW THEY ARE SO IN FOR DEMOCRACY AND WILL RISK THEIR DEMOCRACY AND WILL RISK THEIR LIVES AND ALL OF THE HORRIBLE LIVES AND ALL OF THE HORRIBLE THINGS THEY'VE ENDURED FOR IT THINGS THEY'VE ENDURED FOR IT AND YET THIS THINGS THEY'VE ENDURED FOR IT AND YET THIN THIS COUNTRY WE SEE THINGS THEY'VE ENDURED FOR IT AND YET THIN THIS COUNTRY WE SE AND YET THIN THIS COUNTRY WE SE TO BE HELL BENT ON DESTROYING TO BE HELL BENT ON DESTROYING DEMOCRACY. DEMOCRACY. I'M NOT SURE AMERICANS I'M NOT SURE AMERICANS UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO MAINTAIN A DEMOCRATIC STATE. TO MAINTAIN A DEMOCRATIC STATE. I'M WONDERING, DID YOU PICK THAT I'M WONDERING, DID YOU PICK THAT UP TOO? UP TOO? I MEAN DID YOU FEEL THAT A LOT? I MEAN DID YOU FEEL THAT A LOT? >> YEAH, AND I FOUND IT SORT OF >> YEAH, AND I FOUND IT SORT OF HEARTBREAKING THAT, YOU KNOW, HEARTBREAKING THAT, YOU KNOW, NOW, OF COURSE, IT WILL REMAIN NOW, OF COURSE, IT WILL REMAIN TO BE SEEN WHETHER THAT UNITY TO BE SEEN WHETHER THAT UNITY CAN LAST IN PEACETIME FOR CAN LAST IN PEACETIME FOR UKRAINE. UKRAINE. I THINK IT CAN, BECAUSE OF -- I I THINK IT CAN, BECAUSE OF -- I DON'T KNOW, THEY MAY BE A SIGN DON'T KNOW, THEY MAY BE A SIGN OF SOME HUMAN EVOLUTION WHERE IT OF SOME HUMAN EVOLUTION WHERE IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THE LAW OF DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THE LAW OF THE JUNGLE ANYMORE. THE JUNGLE ANYMORE. >> Joy: HOPEFULLY. >> Joy: HOPEFULLY. >> THEY CAN BE A SYMBOL OF THAT >> THEY CAN BE A SYMBOL OF THAT IF WE HELP THEM. IF WE HELP THEM. HERE I THINK WE HAVE -- IT HERE I THINK WE HAVE -- IT CERTAINLY SEEMS TO ME THAT WE'RE CERTAINLY SEEMS TO ME THAT WE'RE INCREASINGLY LOSING TRACK OF THE INCREASINGLY LOSING TRACK OF THE ASPIRATION OF WHAT THIS COUNTRY ASPIRATION OF WHAT THIS COUNTRY HAS BEEN AIMING FOR, OF COURSE, HAS BEEN AIMING FOR, OF COURSE, IT'S NEVER SERVED EVERYONE. IT'S NEVER SERVED EVERYONE. OF COURSE THE THERE HAVE BEEN OF COURSE THE THERE HAVE BEEN GREAT FAILURES AND WILL BE MORE GREAT FAILURES AND WILL BE MORE BUT THAT MOVEMENT, THAT FEELING BUT THAT MOVEMENT, THAT FEELING THAT WE AS HUMANS GET IN THAT WE AS HUMANS GET IN COMMUNITY, IT'S WRITTEN ABOUT COMMUNITY, IT'S WRITTEN ABOUT THAT THAT'S WHAT ALLOWS PEOPLE THAT THAT'S WHAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO LIVE LONGER IS THAT FEELING TO LIVE LONGER IS THAT FEELING OF COMMUNITY. OF COMMUNITY. >> Joy: THAT'S RIGHT. >> Joy: THAT'S RIGHT. >> AND I WAS NEVER VERY SOCIAL. >> AND I WAS NEVER VERY SOCIAL. [ LAUGHTER ] [ LAUGHTER ] AND I REALIZE, YOU KNOW, IT'S AND I REALIZE, YOU KNOW, IT'S TIME TO REACH OUT AND TALK TO TIME TO REACH OUT AND TALK TO PEOPLE LIKE IN UKRAINE, THEY PEOPLE LIKE IN UKRAINE, THEY DON'T AGREE ON EVERYTHING DON'T AGREE ON EVERYTHING POLITICALLY. POLITICALLY. BUT THEY GET TOGETHER AND HASH BUT THEY GET TOGETHER AND HASH IT OUT. IT OUT. >> Sunny: CAN I JUST ADD BEFORE >> Sunny: CAN I JUST ADD BEFORE WE WRAP YOU'VE BEEN BANNED FROM WE WRAP YOU'VE BEEN BANNED FROM RUSSIA. RUSSIA. IS THAT TRUE? IS THAT TRUE? >> BADGE OF COURAGE. >> BADGE OF COURAGE. >> Joy: YOU'VE BEEN BANNED FROM >> Joy: YOU'VE BEEN BANNED FROM RUSSIA. RUSSIA. >> Sunny: YEAH. >> Sunny: YEAH. [ APPLAUSE ] [ APPLAUSE ] >> Joy: YOU KNOW, PUTIN IS ONE >> Joy: YOU KNOW, PUTIN IS ONE OF THE BAD GUYS IN THIS -- OF THE BAD GUYS IN THIS -- >> IT WILL RUIN MY SUMMERS IN >> IT WILL RUIN MY SUMMERS IN ST. PETERSBURG. ST. PETERSBURG. >> Joy: LOVELY TO HAVE YOU. >> Joy: LOVELY TO HAVE YOU. KEEP THE GOOD WORK GOING. KEEP THE GOOD WORK GOING. OUR THANKS TO SEAN PENN. OUR THANKS TO SEAN PENN. THE REMARKABLE SEAN PENN, THANK THE REMARKABLE SEAN PENN, THANK YOU FOR COMING BY. YOU FOR COMING BY. [ APPLAUSE ]