’20 Days in Mariupol’ wins finest documentary Oscar, a primary for AP and PBS’ ‘Frontline’
LOS ANGELES — Mstyslav Chernov’s “20 Days in Mariupol,” a harrowing first-person account of the early days of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, gained the perfect documentary Oscar on Sunday night time.
A joint manufacturing of The Related Press and PBS’ “Frontline,” statuettes have been awarded to Chernov, producer and editor Michelle Mizner and producer Raney Aronson-Rath. The Oscar — and nomination — was a primary for each Chernov, an AP video journalist, and the 178-year-old information group. This was the third nomination and first win for “Frontline.”
Chernov, photographer Evgeniy Maloletka and producer Vasilisa Stepanenko arrived an hour earlier than Russia started bombing the port metropolis. Two weeks later, they have been the final journalists working for a global outlet within the metropolis, sending essential dispatches to the skin world exhibiting civilian casualties of all ages, the digging of mass graves, the bombing of a maternity hospital and the sheer extent of the devastation.
“That is the primary Oscar in Ukrainian historical past, and I’m honored,” an emotional Chernov stated. “In all probability I would be the first director on this stage to say I want I’d by no means made this movie, I want to have the ability to trade this to Russia by no means attacking Ukraine.”
He known as on Russia to stop aggression in Ukraine. “I want for them to launch all of the hostages, all of the troopers who’re defending their land, all of the civilians who’re of their jails,” he stated.
“We are able to be sure that the historical past file is ready straight and the reality will prevail, and that the individuals of Mariupol, and those that have given their lives, won’t ever be forgotten. As a result of cinema kinds reminiscences and reminiscences kind historical past.”
Chernov ended his speech by switching to his native language, uttering his nation’s salute, “Slava Ukraini,” which suggests “Glory to Ukraine.”
Whereas reporting on the invasion, Chernov encountered fairly a number of totally different reactions to the group’s presence on the bottom. Some thanked the journalists for doing their jobs. Some known as them prostitutes. Some docs urged them to movie graphic scenes of injured and lifeless youngsters to indicate the world what had been completed.
Solely about 40 minutes of footage made it out to the world in actual time due to poor connections, however when Chernov and his colleagues have been lastly in a position to depart, he determined he wanted to do one thing with the 30-some hours they’d on tape. Chernov, who was born in Ukraine, narrated the documentary as properly.
The work of Chernov, Maloletka, Stepanenko and Lori Hinnant gained the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for public service and featured prominently that very same 12 months in a Pulitzer for breaking information pictures.
“20 Days in Mariupol” debuted on the Sundance Movie Pageant, the place it gained an viewers award. It went on to assert finest documentary from the Administrators Guild and BAFTA and was thought of a favourite for the Academy Award going into the night time. It gained the prize over a robust slate of documentary options, together with “4 Daughters,”“The Everlasting Reminiscence,” “Bobi Wine: The Folks’s President” and “To Kill a Tiger.” Final 12 months, “Navalny,” in regards to the Russian opposition chief who died simply final month, gained finest documentary.
And whereas the awards run for “Mariupol” has come to a detailed, every new prize and platform has offered a stark reminder that, greater than two years, later the conflict remains to be ongoing. On the identical day Chernov realized he was nominated for an Oscar, he realized that his hometown of Kharkiv had simply been topic to a lethal bombing by Russian forces.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated in late February that 31,000 Ukrainian troopers have been killed in motion since Russia launched its full-scale invasion.
“The Final Restore Store” gained for finest documentary brief. The movie, co-directed by Ben Proudfoot and Kris Bowers, profiles the craftspeople who repair 1000’s of musical devices utilized by Los Angeles schoolchildren. “Music training isn’t nearly creating unbelievable musicians, it’s about creating unbelievable people,” stated Bowers.
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For extra on the 2024 Oscars, go to https://apnews.com/hub/academy-awards. For extra AP protection of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, go to https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine.
