Ukrainian film cut from Oscars international feed – media

The presentation of the Oscar for Best Documentary to Ukrainian film ‘20 Days in Mariupol’ has been cut from the international TV version of Sunday’s ceremony, local broadcaster Hromadske has reported, expressing “deep discontent” over the step. 

The documentary was shot by Mstislav Chernov and colleagues from the Associated Press in the port city of Mariupol on the Sea of Azov during the early days of the Russia-Ukraine conlfict in 2022. Chernov’s team had arrived in the city an hour before open hostilities broke out. They remained in the city for three more weeks before being evacuated.

“The organizers cut the nomination for the Best Documentary, won by ‘20 Days in Mariupol’ by Ukrainian director Mstislav Chernov, from the shortened international television version of the 96th Academy Awards,” Hromadske’s website reported, citing US media giant Disney Entertainment, which was in charge of broadcasting the ceremony.

According to the Ukrainian channel, Disney Entertainment said the presentation of the award and Chernov’s acceptance speech were cut from its international feed “primarily due to time limitation.”

The Ukrainian channel had been set to show the international version of the event, but later reversed the decision. Instead, Hromadske “expressed deep discontent” over the move and showed the full version of the 96th Academy Awards ceremony.

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