Oscar for Ukrainian film 20 Days in Mariupol
The film 20 Days in Mariupol has won an Oscar for best documentary at this year's Academy Awards ceremony on Sunday. Directed by Mstyslav Chernov and produced by Michelle Mizner and Raney Aronson-Rath, the film recounts the highly dangerous work of an AP news agency team that remained in the city during the Russian siege and invasion in early 2022 and documented the suffering of the civilian population. Ukrainian media are deeply moved.
Symbolic and tragic
TV presenter and producer Ihor Kondratiuk explains the significance of the film in Telegraf:
“Anyone with a modicum of intelligence and honour will understand Russia's intentions in this war after watching this film: the destruction of the Ukrainians and their cities. This is a terrible reality that some people on this planet still refuse to accept. And some - like Trump, Orbán and Fico - simply side with the aggressor and display their maximum cynicism and corruptibility. ... The first Oscar in the history of Ukraine has gone to the documentary film 20 Days in Mariupol, which reports on one of thousands of cases of extermination of Ukrainians by the Russians. Very symbolic, and very tragic.”
Miraculous and courageous
LB.ua is full of admiration:
“Chernov and Maloletka were the last international journalists to stay and work in besieged Mariupol at the beginning of the full-scale invasion. From the footage used in the film it is clear that it was a miracle they survived. It was also a miracle that they managed to smuggle the footage out of the besieged city. ... It was a miracle - and proof of great courage. This award is also an opportunity to honour the journalists and filmmakers who paid the ultimate price for their desire to tell the truth about this war.”