20 Days in Mariupol

This screening took place on Tuesday, February 13, 2024 at 6:00 pmYukon Arts Centre

An AP team of Ukrainian journalists trapped in the besieged city of Mariupol struggle to continue their work documenting the atrocities of Russia’s invasion. As the only international reporters who remain in the city as Russian forces close in, they capture–what has become–some of the most defining images of the war: dying children, mass graves, the bombing of a maternity hospital, and more.

After nearly a decade covering international conflicts, including the Russia-Ukraine war for The Associated Press, Mstyslav Chernov makes his feature film debut with 20 Days in Mariupol. The film draws on Chernov’s daily news dispatches and personal footage of his own country at war. It offers a vivid, harrowing account of civilians caught in the siege and offers a glimpse into what reporting from a conflict zone entails, as well as the impact of such journalism around the globe.

Made in partnership with The Associated Press, 20 Days in Mariupol has had a decorated run on the 2023 film festival circuit — including winning the Sundance Film Festival Audience Award for World Cinema Documentary and the Tim Hetherington Award at Sheffield Film Festival. The film was also honored with DocEdge Film Festival’s awards for “Best International Director” and “Best International Editing,” and has been shortlisted for Documentary Feature Film and International Feature Film for the 96th Academy Awards.

In Ukrainian and Russian with English subtitles.

Content advisory: Graphic scenes of people in distress, people (including little children) dying

Genre: Documentary.