Mstyslav Chernov's film '20 Days in Mariupol' to represent Ukraine at Oscars

The documentary film "20 Days in Mariupol" by Ukrainian journalist and photographer Mstyslav Chernov will represent Ukraine at the Oscars following a decision made by the Ukrainian Oscar Committee.

The picture will represent Ukraine among the contenders for the "Best International Feature Film" nomination.

"The film was chosen by voting by members of the Ukrainian Oscar Committee, whose chairman is Valentyn Vasyanovych," the committee reported.

"20 Days in Mariupol" is a documentary film created by international journalists of the Associated Press. They remained in Mariupol surrounded by the Russian forces and filmed the siege of the city from the very attack of Russian troops on the morning of February 24, 2022.

Journalists continued their work in the siege and filmed footage that later became the defining images of the war: the deaths of children, mass burials, a bombed-out maternity hospital and other horrors of Russian crimes.

Five films took part in the national selection: "20 Days in Mariupol" by Mstyslav Chernov, "Iron Butterflies" by Roman Liubyi, "Pamfir" by Dmytro Sukholytkyi-Sobchuk, "Terykony" by Taras Tomenko and "Shttl" by Ady Walter.