“20 Days in Mariupol” premiered at the Egyptian Theatre and won an audience award at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival.
The documentary follows video journalist Mstyslav Chernov in his native Ukraine during the initial days of Russia’s invasion in Feb. 2022.
The film contains harrowing footage, including images of dying children, mass graves and the bombing of a maternity hospital.
After winning the Oscar for Best Documentary Sunday night, Chernov called for Russia to cease aggression in Ukraine.
“Probably I will be the first director on this stage who will say, ‘I wish I never made this film,’” Chernov said. “I wish to be able to exchange this to Russia never attacking Ukraine, never occupying our cities.”
During the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, Chernov talked with KPCW about the documentary and a local Ukrainian couple he connected with.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in late February that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in action since Russia launched its full-scale invasion.
A joint production of the Associated Press and PBS, “20 Days in Mariupol” is free to watch online.
