IFC – 20 DAYS IN MARIUPOL

“Wars don’t start with explosions. They start with silence.”

With the eeriest of silences enshrouding the port city of Mariupol, and a majority of its citizens evacuated, Mstyslav Chernov and a group of Associated Press correspondents find themselves in a hospital as the Russian invasion begins. What unfolds is a harrowing observation of a city under attack, of the people remaining who have either refused to leave or are unable to, and a struggle to bear witness to what is otherwise out of sight for the international community.

Providing shocking context for some of the unforgettable images to come out of the conflict – some disputed at the time by Russian officials – 20 Days in Mariupol is a testament to the courage of frontline reportage in a time when conflicts are increasingly being complicated by the spread of disinformation.

20 Days in Mariupol premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and has been nominated for the Best Documentary award at the 96th Academy Awards.