Virginia Film Festival

Official Oscar^© Selection—Ukraine

Amidst the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a group of Ukrainian journalists from the Associated Press find themselves stuck in the besieged city of Mariupol, dedicated to documenting the war’s atrocities. As the sole international reporters left in the city, they capture crucial and haunting images of the war—scenes of dying children, mass graves, the bombing of a maternity hospital, and other horrifying events. 

20 Days in Mariupol is the debut feature documentary from veteran war correspondent Mstyslav Chernov, drawing on his almost decade-long experience covering international conflicts for The Associated Press. This documentary provides a vivid and distressing account of civilians trapped in the siege, offering a glimpse into the challenges of reporting from a conflict zone and the far-reaching impact of such journalism worldwide.

Introduction by Stephen D. Mull (UVA).

“A relentless and truly important documentary”
–The New York Times (Critics Pick), Jason Farago

This film will be presented with Open Captions visible on screen.