On August 28, the Ukrainian Oscar Committee selected the film that will represent Ukraine at the 2026 Academy Awards. The committee chose the documentary “2000 Meters to Andriivka” directed by journalist and photographer Mstyslav Chernov, reports Baltimore Chronicle citing the press service of the Ukrainian Film Academy.
Chernov’s documentary will compete in the category Best International Feature Film. According to the organizers, the work is an uncompromising and emotional testimony of the Russian-Ukrainian war, reflecting human experience at its breaking point while preserving dignity and resilience.
The decision was made by the Ukrainian Oscar Committee, which consists of 12 experts in cinema — filmmakers, producers, and critics — elected through voting by members of the Ukrainian Film Academy.
In its statement, the committee emphasized that this Ukrainian film must be recognized worldwide, as it voices the stories of those who defend freedom and the right to life every day.
The Film Academy also announced that the shortlist of 15 contenders in the Best International Feature Film category will be published on December 16, 2025. The five final nominees will be revealed on January 22, 2026, while the 98th Academy Awards ceremony will take place on March 15, 2026.
“2000 Meters to Andriivka” portrays the consequences of the war through the personal experiences of Ukrainian soldiers. Following his renowned chronicle on civilian losses in Mariupol, Chernov shifts focus to servicemen — who they are, where they come from, and the difficult decisions they must make on the front line.
The film combines the director’s own footage, body camera recordings of Ukrainian fighters, and intimate reflections. It reveals how, step by step, soldiers move across a devastated homeland, increasingly realizing that for them this war may have no end.
Earlier we wrote about Hollywood’s main night: where and when to watch the Oscars 2025 online broadcast.