A historic moment for Ukraine. The documentary film “20 Days in Mariupol” by director, journalist, and founder of the UAPF, Mstyslav Chernov, brought our country its first Oscar.
In Los Angeles, on the night of March 11, 2024, the 96th ceremony of the most prestigious American film award took place, honoring the achievements of filmmakers for 2023. For the first time, Ukrainians received the coveted statuette in Hollywood. The film “20 Days in Mariupol” was recognized as the best in the category “Feature‑Length Documentary Film.”
Mstyslav Chernov took the stage together with the team he worked with on the film. He delivered a speech after which the audience gave a standing ovation:
“This is the first Oscar in the history of Ukraine. For me, it is a great honor. But perhaps I will be the first director in history on this stage to say: ‘I wish I had never had to make this film. I would trade this for Russia never attacking Ukraine and never occupying our cities.’”
Holding the statuette in his hands, Mstyslav Chernov spoke about civilians and soldiers who are being held in Russian captivity. He noted that talented people can correct history and make it so that the truth prevails.
“The people of Mariupol and those who gave their lives so that they would never be forgotten. Because cinema shapes memories, and memories shape history,” Mstyslav Chernov said emotionally.
The Oscar‑winning director concluded his speech with the words “Glory to Ukraine!”
In addition to “20 Days in Mariupol,” four other films competed in the category “Best Documentary Film”: Bobi Wine: The People’s President; The Eternal Memory; Four Daughters; To Kill a Tiger.
What is known about the film?
In March 2022, Mstyslav Chernov, together with his colleagues from the Associated Press, Yevhen Maloletka and Vasylysa Stepanenko, were the only international team of journalists working in Mariupol and sending materials from there. The documentary shows the beginning of Russia’s full‑scale invasion, the lives of Mariupol’s civilians under siege, the bombing of a maternity hospital and residential neighborhoods of the city, as well as mass burial sites.
In 2023, the creators of the film became laureates of the Pulitzer Prize in the category “Public Service.” The film “20 Days in Mariupol” also won the “Best Documentary Film” nomination at the prestigious British BAFTA Film Awards. In addition, Mstyslav Chernov received the Directors Guild of America Award for “Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary.”
Mstyslav Chernov is a Ukrainian photographer, journalist, director, war correspondent, president of the Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers, honorary member of Ukrainian PEN, and writer. He covered the Revolution of Dignity, the war in eastern Ukraine, the aftermath of the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 777, the Syrian civil war, the battles of Mosul in Iraq, and Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, including the siege of Mariupol. For this work, he received the Deutsche Welle Freedom of Speech Award, the Georgiy Gongadze Prize, the Knight International Journalism Awards, the Biagio Agnes Award, the Bayeux Calvados‑Normandy Award, the Elijah Parish Lovejoy Award, and the Free Media Awards. At the end of 2022, he was included in the rankings “NV People 2022 in the Year of War” and “14 Songs, Photos, and Art Objects That Became Symbols of Ukrainian Resistance” by Forbes Ukraine, and footage from Mariupol formed the basis of the film “20 Days in Mariupol,” which in 2024 became the first film in the history of Ukrainian cinema to receive an Oscar.
Worked on the material:
Researcher of the topic, author of the text: Vira Labych
Literary editor: Yuliia Futei
Photo editor: Viacheslav Ratynskyi
