Like many documentaries about conflicts still unfolding at the time of premiere, 20 Days in Mariupol is both essential and far from perfect. But it needs to be seen, only for the vague hope it can help hold the perpetrators’ feet to the fire.
20 Days in Mariupol tells the story of the twenty days the film’s director, Chernov, spent with his colleagues in the besieged city of Mariupol from February to March 2022 in the first weeks of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. Chernov and his colleagues become trapped in the city as they struggle to document the atrocities of the Russian invasion that unfold with raw intensity, capturing the horrors of a senseless war. The documentary feature film is brave, honest, harrowing, and sadly, even more relevant today than it was upon release. This isn’t just a documentary, it is a cry for help and the urgent need for peace. Viewers will be left with the scarring images of mass graves, indiscriminate deaths of children and the elderly, and constant pain and sorrow. This film’s mix of powerful journalism and intimate storytelling makes it an unforgettable experience. The documentary offers both an uncompromising and important account of humanity and immersive access to a nation under siege.
Ever wonder how the photos and videos of Associated Press made it out of the constantly bombed city with no electricity and absolutely no connection to the outside world? Watch 20 Days in Mariupol and you will find out.
The documentary film was written and directed by Mstyslav Chernov, produced by Raney Aronson-Rath, and edited by Michelle Mizner. The film won an Oscar for Best Documentary Feature Film in 2024.
Chernov, with almost a decade of experience covering international conflicts, including the Russia-Ukraine war for the Associated Press, makes his directorial debut here. Drawing on his daily news dispatches and personal footage, Chernov creates a harrowing narrative that not only offers a vivid account of civilians caught in the siege but also provides a window into the tumultuous world of conflict journalism.
The film has been deliberately kept slow despite the crisp time of 94 minutes so that all eyes and ears can explore the depth of violence that war inflicts. This documentary film is a complete bloodbath and a big bang to the materialistic warmongers.
The voiceover is very irritating and haunting (yes). Nonetheless, it is pivotal to torment you along with the visuals of the Russian invasion and also leave you in a mental condition where you are unable to decide what and how you think. This one engages and enrages. Though it does celebrate the value of the press, in the end, it is necessary to show the reality, what is the truth.
A big part of what makes the film so fascinating, valuable, and intense is how it lets certain events unfold in what feels like real-time, even though there are edits for the sake of compression and clarity. The only wholly unnecessary touch is a subdued minor key synth score that plays during extended sequences of dread and terror. The film doesn’t need it. The images and sounds speak for themselves.
The film doesn’t shy away from the chaos, carnage and death caused by the bombing of Mariupol. It is an unquestionably tough watch revealing the ugly face of war. The images we see, the reenactments we watch and the stories we hear are horrific. The stories stay with you long after the film has concluded. As they should. The film consists of mainly incredibly upsetting and heartbreaking scenes.
20 Days in Mariupol is rated 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. You can watch the documentary feature film on Apple TV.
I recommend anyone with a conscience to watch this film.
