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The international broadcast of the 96th Oscars is facing criticism in Ukraine for excluding the announcement of the documentary feature award, which was won by Mstyslav Chernov's "20 Days in Mariupol." The documentary, a collaboration between The Associated Press (AP) and PBS' "Frontline," provides a harrowing first-person account of the early days of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Ukraine's public broadcaster Suspilne, the exclusive broadcaster of the Oscars in the country, expressed indignation over the omission. Lukian Halkin, executive producer of the Suspilne Kultura TV channel, stated that their team was "shocked and deeply disappointed" when the category for Best Feature Documentary was not included in the international version, despite "20 Days in Mariupol" rightfully winning the award.

The decision to exclude certain portions and categories for the condensed version of the Oscars was made weeks in advance by Disney, the official international licensing agent for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. According to Disney, international licensees receive two versions of the broadcast: the live version and a 90-minute version produced by the film academy. The truncated version, preferred by international broadcasters, includes a recap of the winners.

Suspilne has chosen to broadcast the unedited cut of the Oscars to Ukrainian viewers, ensuring that Mstyslav Chernov's powerful speech emphasizing the unity between Ukraine and the world is not overlooked. Halkin expressed disappointment that this episode, full of truth and power, was excluded from the version distributed to the Oscars' global licensees.

The decision to cut the documentary category has not been commented on by the film academy. The edited version of the Oscars also sparked criticism on social media platforms in Ukraine, where the win for "20 Days in Mariupol" was hailed as a bittersweet yet significant victory.

The AP team, composed of Mstyslav Chernov, photographer Evgeniy Maloletka, and producer Vasilisa Stepanenko, were on the ground in Mariupol before the Russian bombing began. They captured crucial footage of civilian casualties, the digging of mass graves, the bombing of a maternity hospital, and the widespread devastation. This Oscar win marks a historic first for both Chernov and the 178-year-old news organization, AP. The documentary was a joint production with PBS' "Frontline," which secured its first win after two previous nominations.

During the acceptance speech, Chernov emphasized the importance of cinema in setting the historical record straight and ensuring that the truth prevails. He stated that the people of Mariupol, along with those who sacrificed their lives, will never be forgotten because cinema forms memories, and memories form history.

As the controversy surrounding the international broadcast of the Oscars continues, Ukraine celebrates the recognition of "20 Days in Mariupol" and sees it as a significant step towards shedding light on the atrocities committed by the Russian army during the invasion.

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