Ukraine War Film 20 Days in Mariupol Wins Documentary Feature Film Oscar 2024 - Know All About It

20 Days In Mariupol won the Oscar in the Documentary Feature Film category. It won by beating Bobi Wine: The People's President, The Eternal Memory, Four Daughters and To Kill A Tiger. The film documents the harsh realities of the ongoing war in Ukraine.  

What is 20 days in Mariupol all about? 

20 days in Mariupol is a documentary which is centered around the violence and tragedy in the early days of the Ukraine war against Russia. The film follows Associated Press’ video journalist Mstyslav Chernov and two of his colleagues as they document the first 20 days of Russia’s siege. This also includes the bombing at a maternity hospital. By the end of the film, Mstyslav and his colleagues were the only international journalists left in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol. Frontline executive producer Raney Aronson-Rath, while speaking to Boston Public Radio said, “What they captured is really the only document, is the only proof of what happened there.” 

She further mentioned that what they witnessed there is heartbreaking and it is important that it was filmed. As per Raney, the aim of the documentary was to demonstrate the importance of having on-the-ground reporters as eyewitnesses of the war.

Mystyslav Chernov’s winning speech at Oscars 2024 

Journalist and director Mstyslav Chernov, after winning the Oscar, said "This is the first Oscar in Ukrainian history. I am honoured. I will be the first director on stage to say I wish I never made this film. I wish I could exchange this for Russia never attacking Ukraine and occupying our cities. I wish for them to release our prisoners. I cannot change the history and the past. We are together.”

He further mentioned that we can make sure history sets the record. “Cinema forms memories, memories form history. Thank you god and Thank you Ukraine,” he added.