Ukraine woke up to news of Russian drones striking buildings in the Kharkiv and Odesa regions, while also celebrating its first Oscar win for the documentary film '20 Days in Mariupol.' The film, directed by Mstyslav Chernov and produced by The Associated Press and PBS' 'Frontline,' provides a harrowing first-person account of the early days of Russia's invasion in 2022. The victory was bittersweet for Ukraine, serving as a reminder of the horrors of war [d07373bc].
Mstyslav Chernov, the director of '20 Days in Mariupol', received the BAFTA award for best documentary. The film, which is also an Oscar nominee, draws on Chernov's daily news dispatches and personal footage of his own country at war. It offers a vivid and harrowing account of civilians caught in the siege and the impact of such journalism globally. Chernov dedicated the award to the people of Ukraine and called the story of Mariupol a symbol of struggle and faith. The award was presented by Canadian actress Taylor Russell [079ff1ce].
The Ukrainian film '20 Days in Mariupol,' directed by Mstyslav Chernov, won the Oscar for Best Documentary at the 96th Academy Awards on March 10, 2024. The documentary records the Russian siege of Mariupol in Donetsk Oblast from the perspective of Chernov and his crew during the first weeks of the full-scale invasion. It is the first Ukrainian film made by a Ukrainian director to ever win an Oscar. Chernov expressed his honor but also wished he had never had to document the fighting in Mariupol. The documentary comprises 30 hours of footage shot in Mariupol before the crew left the city. Since its release in January 2023, '20 Days in Mariupol' has won audience prizes at several film festivals. The months-long siege of Mariupol between February and May resulted in the destruction of the city and the loss of thousands of lives. Chernov concluded his acceptance speech by thanking Ukraine and saying 'Slava Ukraini' [a674aa1b] [079ff1ce].
The Swedish film 'Sons,' directed by Gustav Möller, won the Best Film Prize in the World category at the 48th Hong Kong International Film Festival. The film follows an idealistic prison officer, played by Danish actress Sidse Babett Knudsen, who faces ethical dilemmas when a man from her past is transferred to the prison where she works [c7e4e386].
Voice of America (VOA) programming received top prizes at the prestigious 2024 New York Festivals. At the April 16 ceremonies, VOA claimed three gold, two silver, and five bronze awards. Two VOA documentaries earned gold in the Documentary/Human Rights category for TV and film. The first winner, VOA News Center’s “From Fear to Freedom: A Uyghur's Journey,” follows journalist Kasim Kashgar, a Uyghur from Xinjiang, who sought U.S. asylum in 2023 and speaks about his exile. The second winner, VOA Persian’s “The Endless Start,” documents the persistent journey of women striving for their rights in Iran along a seemingly never-ending road. In addition, VOA’s “52 Documentary” series won gold in the Documentary/Nonfiction Series category. VOA programming also earned silver and bronze awards in various categories [c57d7e2f].
The article also reports on Russian drones striking buildings in the Kharkiv and Odesa regions of Ukraine. These attacks serve as a reminder of the ongoing conflict and the horrors of war. The details of the drone strikes are not provided in the article, but they highlight the continued aggression and violence in the region [d07373bc].
Ukraine won its first Oscar for the documentary film '20 Days in Mariupol,' which provides a harrowing first-person account of the early days of Russia's invasion in 2022. The film exposes the brutal devastation of the war and the inhumane Russian invasion. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised the award and emphasized the importance of remembering the horrors of the war. The documentary was a joint production of The Associated Press and PBS' 'Frontline.' The film shows civilian casualties, the bombing of a maternity hospital, and the extent of the devastation. The award comes as Russian drones continue to strike buildings in the Kharkiv and Odesa regions. The documentary has also won the Pulitzer Prize. Last year, the Oscar for best documentary was awarded to 'Navalny,' a film about Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. The Kremlin declined to comment on the award, and the widow of Navalny congratulated the '20 Days in Mariupol' team on their victory [4eb48dfd].
Journalism was a major winner at this year's Academy Awards. The Associated Press and PBS 'Frontline' won their first-ever Oscars for the documentary film '20 Days in Mariupol,' which provides a harrowing first-person account of the early days of Russia's invasion in 2022. The Los Angeles Times also won its first Oscar. The film exposes the brutal devastation of the war and the inhumane Russian invasion. It shows civilian casualties, the bombing of a maternity hospital, and the extent of the devastation. The award comes as Russian drones continue to strike buildings in the Kharkiv and Odesa regions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised the award and emphasized the importance of remembering the horrors of the war [1ec657a2].
The documentary film 'My Stolen Planet' by Farahnaz Sharifi won the €12,000 Golden Alexander prize at the 26th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival. The film is a Germany-Iran co-production and premiered at the Berlinale's Panorama programme. Lidia Duda's film 'Forest' won the €5,000 international competition special jury prize. The festival also featured tributes to Maria Callas and Greek choreographer Dimitris Papaioannou. The festival took place amid protests by local homophobic and ultrareligious groups against the recently-passed same-sex marriage law [b9555779].