Ukrainian film “20 Days in Mariupol” makes it to Oscar shortlist in two categories

The Ukrainian documentary depicting the first days of the siege of Mariupol by Russian occupiers has made it to the shortlist for the Oscars in two categories, Rubryka reports, referring to the official Oscar website.

The film "20 Days in Mariupol" by Mstislav Chernov has entered the shortlist in two categories:

• Best International Feature Film
• Best Feature-Length Documentary

About the Film "20 Days in Mariupol"

This film is a collaboration between the Associated Press and American documentarians from Frontline. The film was captured during the initial days of the Mariupol siege after the Russian forces started the full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022.

"20 Days in Mariupol" is a film by Ukrainian journalist and photographer Mstislav Chernov. The film's production also involved photographer Yevhen Malolietka and producer Vasylisa Stepanenko.

Arriving in the city on February 24, 2022, Chernov and Malolietka documented the work of doctors in local hospitals, recorded numerous civilian casualties, and left the city on March 15 as part of a convoy departing after the establishment of a humanitarian corridor.

The film portrays the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, the bombing of the maternity hospital, and the rescue of the film's author and his colleagues from the Associated Press in the city surrounded by Russian forces.

In 2023, the film's creators were honored with the Pulitzer Prize in the "Public Service" category.

Another film about Ukraine, titled "From Where to Where," made it to the shortlist in the "Documentary Film" category. It offers a general portrait of Ukrainian refugees united by a common goal: finding a safe haven amid the war.

Oscar Contenders

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which annually organizes the Oscars for achievements in cinematography, announced the list of all contenders for the award on December 21.

Among the Oscar nominees in various categories are films such as Greta Gerwig's "Barbie," Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer," and Martin Scorsese's "Killers of the Flower Moon."

The final list of finalists will be announced on January 23, 2024. The 96th Oscar Awards ceremony will take place in Los Angeles on March 10, 2024, hosted by American comedian Jimmy Kimmel.

About the Oscars

The Academy Awards, known as the "Oscars," is an American film award created in 1929 and presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. It honors individuals for their contributions to the film industry.

The award ceremony is held annually in Los Angeles at the Dolby Theatre and is broadcast live in dozens of countries worldwide.

The prize, conceived by the head of the American film studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Louis B. Mayer in 1929 to encourage contributors to the US film industry, is one of the oldest and currently active film awards globally.

The rules for its presentation and voting principles have been changed multiple times.

As reported, the Ukrainian documentary "20 Days in Mariupol" won the Audience Award at the Amsterdam Film Festival. The film also became the highest-grossing Ukrainian documentary in local distribution.