Sean Penn starring in Ukrainian film War Through the Eyes of Animals

Sean Penn is to star in the Ukrainian film 'War Through the Eyes of Animals'.

The 62-year-old actor and director has been cast in the nine-part anthology, directed by nine different Ukrainian filmmakers, that tells the story of the conflict in Ukraine through the perspective of animals caught up in the war.

Sean will feature in the ninth and final segment – helmed by acclaimed Ukrainian director Myroslav Slaboshpytski – as an American sound engineer who inadvertently witnesses the outbreak of war as Russian forces invade in February 2022.

Filming is set to take place in Ukraine and Los Angeles this summer.

'War Through the Eyes of Animals' is being produced by SOTA Cinema Group and Kleos Art with Oleg Kokhan and Oleksiy Makukhin serving as producers.

Penn has been a supporter of Ukraine throughout the war and had been shooting a documentary in the country when the conflict broke out. It had intended to be a humorous look at the rise of comedian-turned-president Volodymyr Zelensky but instead became 'Superpower' – a depiction of the president's heroic leadership during the war.

The 'Mystic River' star also lent one of his Oscar statuettes to Zelensky when he visited Kyiv last November and has also called on Western governments to provide more military support for Ukraine.

Myroslav said: "I am absolutely thrilled to be a part of this film. It is a great honour for me to collaborate with the incredible actor and outstanding person, and one of Ukraine's greatest friends, Sean Penn.

"He was with us during the attack on the 24th of February and deeply explores the war and Ukraine in his documentary film. His support is invaluable to us and cannot be overstated."