The Ukrainian documentary film 20 Days in Mariupol was cut from the international TV version of the Oscars

Kyiv, Ukraine (Svidomi) — The Ukrainian public broadcaster received video footage of the internationally televised Oscar ceremony and noticed that the organisers The Walt Disney Company Limited had cut out the Best Feature Documentary category, which was won by the Ukrainian film 20 Days in Mariupol, as well as several other awards.

"Mstyslav Chernov's speech emphasised the unity between Ukraine and the world - it is all the more disappointing to see this episode full of truth and power excluded from the version distributed to the global Oscar licensees. Last year, the same nomination, in which the documentary about Navalny won, was given a shortened version, as was the political speech of his wife Yulia Navalnaya, who accepted this seemingly apolitical award," said Lukian Halkin, the executive producer of the Suspilne Kultura TV channel.

It will be recalled that Mstyslav Chernov's Ukrainian film 20 Days in Mariupol won the Oscar for Best Feature Documentary.

Chernov was in Mariupol as part of an Associated Press team, along with photographer Yevhen Malolietka and producer and journalist Vasylisa Stepanenko.

They were the last international journalists to stay in the city and document Russian war crimes in the besieged city.

"I will probably be the first director at this stage who will say I wish I had never made this film. I wish to be able to exchange this for Russia never attacking Ukraine," said the film's director during the award ceremony on March 11.

Read Svidomi's interview with the film director.