A film based on a true story is always interesting. But a documentary film shot in a way that is a chronicle of events during a war as they happened is something completely different.
“20 Days in Mariupol” is not just a film based on real events - it is footage of the city’s real life during the genocidal war that one nation inflicted on another.
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Russia’s war against Ukrainian is an event of such scale and tragedy that its full extent cannot yet be comprehended – it will be up to historians to study and analyze in the future.
We will now tell you about the movie, which has become a unique live chronicle.
The story of the movie - it all started with a chronicle
The movie captures events as they unfolded in Mariupol. A team of journalists arrived on the first day of the full-scale invasion: war correspondent Mstyslav Chernov, photographer Evgeniy Maloletka, and producer Vasilisa Stepanenko. They were the last journalists to remain in the city.
The city was under siege. At first, communication was lost, then radio towers stopped working, and everything disappeared: water, heat, and gas. Events unfolded rapidly. Every day conditions changed as the situation constantly deteriorated. There was constant shelling and numerous attacks by aircraft.
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Chernov and his team tried to capture everything and document the enemy's invasion of Ukraine’s territory. Footage of mass burials, a bombed maternity hospital, the deaths of children, and other horrific acts will forever remain in their memory. On the 19th day, Russian troops and tanks with the letter "Z" entered the city and began shooting at buildings.
The team tried to film everything that was happening in the city. The journalists constantly moved around the city, not staying anywhere for long, in order to capture more footage and learn different people's stories.
In the besieged city, the searched to find internet and mobile connections that would allow them to send the video materials they captured to the editorial office in an attempt to tell the whole world the truth of what was happening in Mariupol at the time.
Journalists felt the pain of a city that was dying under bombardment
The uncertainty seen in people's eyes and heard by their comments is one of the most terrible things there can be. As long as you're doing something, helping someone, and keeping yourself busy, you don't think about the circumstances as much. You’re doing your job, and somehow, it's easier, because helping others helps you.
When the work was over, the reality hit hard. All the pain that is hidden during the day comes out at night, prevents you from sleeping, and sometimes thoughts lead you into a dead end. They are driven there by constant questions of the residents which hang in the cold air of the devastated city: “Why? For what?”
Eventually, the journalists had to evacuate. They realize that if they were captured, all the recordings and all the films would be destroyed. The Russian occupiers could use people and the team’s material for their own benefit; they could destroy it or present it to the world as: “fake news from Ukrainian propaganda.”
They managed to escape assisted by the police officer, who had constantly helped the team, and his family made it through the last humanitarian corridor set up by the Red Cross and left Mariupol.
Chernov later said that he wished he could have stayed and filmed more. However, the footage they did capture was more than enough to show people the terrible picture of destruction that Moscow had brought to the city.
Kyiv Post note.
Mariupol held out for 86 days, almost three months. What a strong city, with such brave and committed people! Everyone did what they could. Great respect is due to the military, police, rescue services and medics, who did their job to the last – helping people. Gratitude is felt towards those city residents, who also helped those who were in trouble. They are all heroes, because despite fatigue, uncertainty and fear of death, they all did what they could to alleviate each other’s suffering.
The plot and mission of the film “20 Days in Mariupol”
The Kyiv Post journalist who watched the film can confidently say that it leaves a strong impression. From beginning to end, the film keeps you on the edge of your seat. There is little in the way of commentary, words are not needed here, the images themselves give a clear understanding of events. Mstyslav Chernov occasionally speaks off-screen explaining some scenes and what is generally happening in the city.
In the movie’s hour and thirty-minute duration, the director has somehow managed to cram all the pain, despair, tragedy, and cruelty that the city felt during the 20 days he was there.
We should remember the people who involuntarily became heroes of the film are not actors able to take off their makeup, wash, eat, and go to bed. Everything we see here are the real emotions of those who were in despair, without communication and understanding where to go and what to do. They lived through this. They survived, hid, suffered, many of them died. They couldn't “stop” the filming, it was their terrible reality.
Anyone who watches this film will not be able to convey their inner feelings and pain in words. After watching it, you feel you want to lock all your emotions away in a closet and never get them out.
But as the film’s director said: “It's painful to watch. But it should be painful to watch.”
Yes! We all have to watch this film and remember every frame, every moment.
That is why this team of journalists came there and stayed despite the danger to tell the world about the facts of Russian cruelty in the southeastern part of Ukraine, which are considered by many to be war crimes.
The mission of the film “20 Days in Mariupol” is to remember!
Awards for Mstyslav Chernov's Film "20 Days in Mariupol"
“20 Days in Mariupol” was created and released in collaboration with the Associated Press and Frontline in 2023. In the first days of the film’s release in Ukraine, it grossed over Hr. 500,000 ($12,135). The film and its creators have been honored with numerous awards. The journalists were awarded various prestigious prizes, including the Pulitzer Prize.
In 2024, the film won over 20 awards and received 40 nominations. But the most important and significant was winning the “Oscar” for “Best Documentary Feature.”
The award is of great significance for Ukraine. As it drew the attention of many people from all over the world to what is really happening during the war that Russia has unleashed against Ukraine.
The film “20 Days in Mariupol” is undeniable evidence of the cruelty, brutality, and ruthlessness of the country that illegally attacked Ukraine.
The importance of the film
A picture is worth a thousand words.
Video and photos provide vivid and accessible evidence of the facts of what happened and convey real emotions. The many books that have been written about this and similar events leave much to the imagination of the reader. But a documentary film, shot on the spot, capturing these events live, led to a new word for documentary film making: “вшааукуте;” all the way!
“20 Days in Mariupol” is not just a film about real events, it is a direct broadcast of those events as they occurred.
Such films are necessary so that society and future generations, not only Ukrainians but people all over the world, understand the price and consequences of war, so that they don't even think about “special military operations” as a tool for solving issues of international relations.
Future generations must see and understand the reality of modern war on ordinary people. So that they don't erase memories of the tragedy from their life, don’t forget it, and try not to repeat it.
Peace can come when everyone understands that war is bad, it is death, fear, horror, and destruction. And no one is immune from this – no matter who you are and how much money and possessions you have.
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