"Oscar-Nominated '20 Days in Mariupol': Chaos, Kindness, and Destruction"
Ukrainian director Mstyslav Chernov's documentary "20 Days in Mariupol," depicting the Russian siege of Mariupol, has been nominated for the 2024 Oscars in the Best Documentary Feature Film category. Chernov and his team captured the horrors of the invasion, including the shelling of houses and a maternity hospital, and mass graves. Despite being hunted by Russian troops, they managed to escape with the footage. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, won the Audience Award, and became the highest-grossing Ukrainian documentary film in its opening weekend. Chernov shared the chaos, pain, and amazing kindness of the people in Mariupol during the siege, emphasizing the support and resilience of the community.