'20 Days in Mariupol' won the Oscar for best documentary and its director, Mstyslav Chernov, shared a heartbreaking speech when talking about the war between Russia and Ukraine, the central theme of the award-winning documentary. As is known, it is the first statuette that Ukraine was carried throughout its history, for which its creator felt more than honored.
What did Mstyslav Chernov say after '20 Days in Mariupol' won the Oscar?
Mstylav Chernov He is the director of '20 days in Mariupol', Ukrainian city affected by the Russian invasion. During his participation in the gala, he stated: “It is the first Oscar in the history of UkraineI'm honored, but probably I am the first director to say that I wish I had never made this film.”.
He also issued a strong and heartbreaking confession after winning and beating the other documentaries: “I would like to change this award because Russia I would never have attacked Ukraine u occupied our cities (…) However, all together, you, some of the most talented people in the world, we can ensure that history is rectified and the truth prevails.”
What is '20 days in Mariupol' about?
The collaboration between The Associated Press and the PBS series Frontline has been recognized with awards for Chernov, producer and editor Michelle Mizner, and producer Raney Aronson-Rath. This achievement marks the first Oscar and nomination for Chernov, an AP video journalist, as well as the 178-year-old news agency. On the other hand, for Frontline it is his third nomination and his first victory.
Chernov together with photographer Evgeniy Maloletka and field producer Vasilisa Stepanenko arrived in the port city an hour before Russia began bombing it. Two weeks later, they became the last journalists from an international media outlet working in the city. They sent crucial reports to the outside world showing the consequences for civilians of all ages, the creation of mass graves, the attack on a maternity hospital and the extent of the devastation.
The documentary shows Chernov facing various reactions. Some people thanked the journalists for their work, while others insulted them. Some doctors encouraged them to film graphic scenes of injured and deceased children to expose the world to the reality they were experiencing.
Due to the lack of internet and electricity, only about 40 minutes of audiovisual material was broadcast in real time. However, once Chernov and their colleagues managed to leave the city, they decided that it was necessary to do something with the 30 hours of footage they had. In addition to narrating the documentary, Chernovwho was born in Ukrainewas involved in its production.
Some recognitions from '20 days in Mariupol'
'20 days in Mariupol' made its debut at the Sundance Film Festival, where it received the Audience Award. In addition, it was awarded best documentary by the Directors Guild of America and by the British Film Academy's Bafta. He was considered a strong contender for the Academy Award. It prevailed over an outstanding list of feature-length documentaries, which included 'Four Daughters', 'Bobi Wine: The People's President', 'To Kill a Tiger' and 'La Memoria Infinite', from Chile. The previous year, 'Navalny', about the Russian opposition leader who died last month, won the award for best documentary.
Although awards season '20 Days in Mariupol' has concluded, the film remains a stark reminder that, more than two years later, the war continues. The same day that Chernov was informed of his Oscar nomination, he learned that his hometown, Kharkiv, had been attacked by Russian forces, with deadly consequences.
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