20 Days in Mariupol

What’s it about?

20 Days in Mariupol is a documentary set during the first 20 days of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Associated Press journalist, Mstyslav Chernov, witnesses the aftermath of violence and civilian conditions in Mariupol during this time.

The facts

• Directed by Mstyslav Chernov
• Won the Academy Award for Best Documentary at the 2024 Academy Awards
• Ukranian, Russian, English Languages
• Runtime: 94 minutes

Why did it get this rating?

This film was classified by Te Mana Whakaatu, Classification Office.

This documentary is supposed to be, and is, very harrowing and upsetting. We encourage viewers to check in with themselves and with others you might be watching with before pressing play based on the content breakdown below.

Horror

The documentary deals extensively with the horrors of war. There are frequent images of real dead bodies. These are shown in the street, in hospital corridors and in mass graves. They include babies and children. There is footage of a heavily pregnant woman with a shattered pelvis. This footage is very upsetting and may be quite confronting for some viewers.

Violence

The film shows buildings being bombed and the injuries created by falling bombs. While the injury detail is not strong and quite often blurred, victims are clearly in pain and in somewhat unsanitary conditions. There is blood on their clothing.

Offensive language

There is a moderate amount of offensive language in the documentary, including “motherf**ker” to refer to other soldiers and “f**k” in moments of stress. This is both in subtitle and in some cases, in English.

Helplines

If you are struggling with what you have seen on-screen please reach out for help. If you or someone you know needs to talk:

• Free call or text 1737 any time for support from a trained counsellor

Further information

Why are ratings and content warnings important for me and my whānau?