The Oscar 2024 awards ceremony took place on the night of March 10-11, and the film "20 Days in Mariupol" won in the Best Documentary Feature Film category.
The director of the film is Mstislav Chernov. However, in his speech, he noted that he wished this movie did not exist.
He said this on stage during the award ceremony.
"Probably I'll be the first director on this stage to say: I wish I've never made this film. I wish to be able to exchange this to Russia never attacking Ukraine, never occupying our cities. I wish to give all the recognition for Russia not killing tens of thousands of my fellow Ukrainians. I wish for them to release all the hostages, all the soldiers who are protecting their land, all the civilians who are now in their jails."
However, Chernov added that he cannot change history. Instead, he emphasized what the world can do now to ensure that "...history is corrected, that the truth prevails."
With tears in his eyes, he reminded the world of the importance of remembering all the people who died in Mariupol and those who laid down their lives fighting the enemy:
"Because cinema form memories and memories form history."