- Release year: 2023
- Director: Mstyslav Chernov.
- Producers: Raney Aronson, Mstyslav Chernov, Derl McCrudden and Michelle Mizner.
- Editor: Michelle Mizner.
- Cinematographer: Mstyslav Chernov.
- Music by: Jordan Dykstra.
Synopsis: a press crew captures the first twenty days of Russian attacks on Mariupol.
Shotgun Commentary: nauseating truth told accurately and faithfully.
Review
20 Days in Mariupol is proof of the atrocities of war, as well as the little to no use of the international institutions created to prevent this kind of conflict from happening again. A crew of journalists covers the events that happen during the first 20 days of war in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol.
The destruction of war
In broad terms, a man with an emperor complex woke up one day and decided to invade a country to feed his ego. As a result, thousands of people have died and millions have had to abandon their home and their country. Leaving one’s home is not as easy as it seems from an external point of view. Proof of this are many citizens featured in the documentary who, against their better judgement, stayed in their city even with young kids, babies, or in a state of pregnancy.
Regardless of Putin’s words that no civilians would be harmed, the film clearly shows that the Russian army began bombarding civilian buildings in Mariupol from the second they had them on target. This translates into a huge amount of innocent people dying, if not for the bomb, because of the shrapnel or the lack of resources in the city after days of siege.
(Mis) information
The whole ordeal was covered by the international media, as shown in 20 Days in Mariupol. However, after the initial shock, once all the images of the dead have been shown over and over in all the news outlets, the point of view is surprisingly cold.
Referring to Mariupol as a prize to win in a war between two sides is quite reductionist. This statement is shared in the footage of the documentary and speaks volumes of the dehumanisation that the press is capable of when it is convenient. To refer to a city full of people being denied basic needs until they die or ask for death as a prize, regardless of its geographically strategic position, transforms suffering into wargames for the audience. This is a traditional strategy to make people indifferent to human agony, to make viewers not feel so bad.
The manipulation of emotions doesn’t stop there, either. 20 Days in Mariupol strategically shows the misleading information shared by Russian news outlets along with the actual truth recorded in the city. This exposes Russian leaders and news for what they are: liars and sell-outs. Hopefully, the uncovering of these events and the spreading of this work will help more people understand the truth behind the situation and not forget that this is happening just because the media decides that there is a new big calamity.
Unvarnished tragedy
The work itself is incredibly brave and telling. Its informative value is undeniable, and the endeavour made by the crew to keep the world literate is invaluable. The decision to stay for that long in a situation so dire for the sake of knowledge is commendable, as is the decision to leave in order to protect their data.
While the choice and editing of footage is perfectly raw and revealing of the disaster, there is a flaw in the delivery. The half-whispering voice of the narrator makes the whole thing feel like an ASMR video more than the serious piece that it is. Thankfully, the use of real sound as well as musical effects are perfectly curated to immerse the spectator in the experience regardless of the voice-over.
Advice to take from this movie:
- Never trust statements without checking.
- War is never the answer to any problem.
- There are lots of useless institutions running around the world.
What’s your take? Have you watched 20 Days in Mariupol? Do you think anything will change as a reaction to the documentary? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀
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