Ukrainian filmmaker Mstislav Chernov, a video journalist for The Associated Press, won Ukraine’s first Oscar for best documentary at an Academy Awards ceremony on Sunday, the 10th of March. The documentary “20 Days in Mariupol” tells the story of the Russian siege of the port city in the early days of the 2022 invasion, capturing the intense moments Chernov and his team of journalists experienced while trapped in Mariupol, reports Reuters.
“This is the first Oscar in the history of Ukraine, and I am honoured.” Chernov said in his acceptance speech as he received a standing ovation. “But probably I will be the first director on this stage who will say I wish I never made this film. I wish to be able to exchange this to Russia never attacking Ukraine, never occupying our cities… but I cannot change history. Cannot change the past.”
❗️20 Days in Mariupol won an #Oscar in the Best Documentary Feature Film category. This is the first film award for #Ukraine in the history of the award
“This is the first Oscar in Ukrainian history, and I’m honored,” the film’s director Mstyslav Chernov said emotionally at… pic.twitter.com/afB4mpPu83
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) March 11, 2024
Mariupol became a symbol of horror during the nearly three-month Russian siege of the strategic port city from March to May 2022, when civilians who were trapped were forced to bury their dead by the roadside.
The siege, one of the largest battles of the two-year war between Russia and Ukraine, left
at least 8 000 people dead in combat or for war-related reasons, Human Rights Watch said in February.
There is no end in sight to a war that has killed thousands, displaced millions and reduced Ukrainian cities to rubble, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy constantly calling on Western allies to provide Kyiv with weapons.
At a press conference after the award ceremony, Ukrainian director Mstislav Chernov stressed the humanitarian urgency of the situation, underlining the need to support civilians under attack.
He said that his role was not to convince, but to offer context and information through his work, underlining the seriousness of the ongoing crisis.
The Ukrainian film joins Christopher Nolan’s acclaimed Oppenheimer and Greta Gerwig’s Barbie in winning the iconic bronze at the Hollywood Film Festival.
Also read: Ukraine condemns Pope Francis’ call for talks with Russia
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