A family’s unforgettable journey of love, hope, & adoption.

Help us transform this short film into a feature-length documentary.

(Made with a budget of under $100)

Meet the team

Official Trailer

Saved By Love follows a young man, adopted from Ukraine at the age of three, and his two fathers as they embark on a life-changing journey to find his birth parents in war-torn Ukraine, confronting personal fears, societal challenges, and the untold stories of other Ukrainian children in search of hope.

Our Story

After graduation Valentyn and Zack reunite to expand "Saved by Love" into a feature film, showcasing their growth as filmmakers and their enduring commitment to storytelling that touches hearts and minds across the world.

Frequently Asked Questions:

  • Valentyn, David, and John will all be traveling abroad to try and find Valentyn's birth family.

  • Potential topics include:

    • Valentyn, David, and John’s journey back to Ukraine to find Valentyn’s birth family and learn more about his roots.

    • Documenting displaced Ukrainian families taking refuge in neighboring countries along the way.

    • David and John’s unresolved anxieties about Ukraine and meeting Valentyn's birth family.

    • Our team is approaching this journey with the utmost care, planning, and respect for the current situation in Ukraine. One of our producers, Tatyana Bronstein, was born in Ukraine and speaks Ukrainian, providing us with essential cultural and logistical insight. Additionally, we are establishing trusted local connections to ensure safe and responsible travel.

    • If necessary, we are prepared to adapt our plans by filming in neighboring countries like Poland while taking carefully planned day trips into Ukraine. The safety of our team is our top priority, which is why these scenes are scheduled for the final phase of production, allowing more time for conditions to stabilize and improve.

  • While Saved By Love is focused on a family’s adoption journey, we do acknowledge the broader context of Ukraine’s political environment and how it has shaped the lives of those involved. However, the primary focus remains on the personal and emotional aspects of the story.

Saved By Love Origin

Valentyn was adopted from Ternopil, Ukraine in 2004 when he was three years-old. In the original short film, "Saved By Love," his parents (David & John) endure a complicated adoption process that involves obscuring their identities and fighting to adopt him in a Ukrainian court.

Now, after twenty years, Valentyn wants to return to Ukraine for the first time since his adoption to find his birth family and discover his roots. David and John, who have an emotional history of their own, have anxieties about returning to the country and must overcome their inner struggles to support their son.