20 DAYS IN MARIUPOL
Cert 18
94 mins
BBFC advice: Contains disturbing scenes, images of real dead bodies
I don't think the image of the dead baby will ever leave me.
There have been many frontline documentaries, but only The World At War's Holocaust episode, first aired 50 years ago, moved me as much as 20 Days In Mariupol.
Over the past two years, we have become accustomed to watching footage of the Ukrainian war in news bulletins.
One of the key targets in the early days of the Russian invasion was the key strategic port of Mariupol.
Journalists left the city when it became clear that there may be no way to safety and that there was indiscriminate bombing of civilian targets.
But a team of Ukrainian reporters from the Associated Press agency remained to document the atrocities.
They transmitted their images to a world which saw the horror of dying children, mass graves and the daily fight to stay alive.
Mstyslav Chernov's film chronicles their experience during the first 20 days of the war as the record of the terrible fallout on innocent people.
At first, the occasional shell lands in a residential area, causing residents relatively minor alarm but the footage becomes progressively more harrowing as hell is unleashed.
Russia has claimed the AP images are elaborate propaganda and those depicted are actors but that is clearly not the case.
At times, the images may seem intrusive, but a senior doctor at an under-fire hospital insists the journalists carry on working so the rest of the world can see the impact of the deadly attacks.
20 Days in Mariupol reflects the claustrophobia and sheer terror of being in a city under siege.
It also shows the importance of journalism and the bravery of those on the frontline. The reporters and their teams risk their lives to keep us informed, and we should be grateful to them.
Their outstanding work makes this the most important film of the year and possibly the best.
Reasons to watch: Incredibly brave journalism
Reasons to avoid: Very upsetting scenes
Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 9.5/10
Did you know? The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights verified 9,614 deaths of civilians in Ukraine during the war as of September 2023.
The final word. Mstyslav Chernov: "The fact that hundreds of thousands of people will see the film when it’s broadcasted and published will ensure that people will remember this tragedy. And that is, I think, a huge psychological help to families that lost everything." PBS
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