'20 Days in Mariupol' Award Presentation Cut Citing 'Time Constraints'

Disney Entertainment faced criticism after it was revealed that the segment during Sunday’s Oscar ceremony when the award for the documentary “20 Days in Mariupol” was being made had been left out of the international TV broadcast due to “time constraints.”

The documentary, directed by Mstislav Chernov, depicted life in Mariupol during Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Despite winning the Oscar for “Best Documentary Feature Film,” Disney in response to inquiries from the Ukrainian Voice of America Service admitted that the segment celebrating its achievement was missing from the shortened broadcast.

This decision sparked outrage, especially from Ukraine's Suspilne Kultura TV channel, which had hoped to showcase the award to its viewers.

“Mstislav Chernov's powerful speech emphasized the unity between Ukraine and the world - it is all the more insulting to see the exclusion of this episode full of truth and power from the version distributed to the world licensees of the Oscar Award,” Lukyan Galkin, the channel's executive producer, said.

“Recall that last year, for the same nomination, in which the documentary about Navalny won, there was a place in the abbreviated version, as well as for the political speech of his wife Yulia Navalnya, who accepted this seemingly apolitical award,” he added.

Disney defended its choice, citing the challenge of fitting the ceremony into a 90-minute international broadcast. However, the company assured that all winners left out, including “20 Days in Mariupol,” would be acknowledged in the condensed version.

Despite this, Disney had granted Suspilna Kultura rights to air both the full and shortened versions in Ukraine.

“20 Days in Mariupol”  is a significant win for Ukrainian cinema, marking the country's first ever Oscar triumph. The documentary, created by a team from the Associated Press led by Mstislav Chernov, offers a gripping portrayal of life in Mariupol amid the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.