Eyewitness documentary shot by war reporter Mstyslav Chernov during the Russian siege of the Ukrainian city takes Academy Award – the country’s first
The Ukrainian film 20 Days in Mariupol, which was shot inside the besieged port city during the assault by Russian forces, has won the best documentary Oscar at the Academy Awards in Los Angeles.
Directed by Mstyslav Chernov, a Ukrainian journalist who documented the invasion in early 2022, 20 Days in Mariupol drew wide acclaim after its premiere at the Sundance film festival in 2023, with the Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw calling it “a searing film [that] bears a terrible witness to this great crime” in a five-star review. In an interview with the Guardian, Chernov described the film as “some kind of collective resistance to tragedy”.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
The Ukrainian film 20 Days in Mariupol, which was shot inside the besieged port city during the assault by Russian forces, has won the best documentary Oscar at the Academy Awards in Los Angeles.
Directed by Mstyslav Chernov, a Ukrainian journalist who documented the invasion in early 2022, 20 Days in Mariupol drew wide acclaim after its premiere at the Sundance film festival in 2023, with the Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw calling it “a searing film [that] bears a terrible witness to this great crime” in a five-star review.
In an interview with the Guardian, Chernov described the film as “some kind of collective resistance to tragedy”.
In the end it triumphed over contenders including Ugandan political documentary Bobi Wine: The People’s President, and Alzheimer’s study The Eternal Memory.
Chernov said he also would love to be able to swap the honour for Russia “releasing the hostages” as well as “the civilians who are now in their jails.”
“But we all together, you – some of the most talented people in the world – can make sure the history record is set straight and the truth will prevail and the people of Mariupol and those who have lost their lives will never be forgotten.
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