After Mariupol Oscar win, new Ukraine war film advances at BAFTA awards

Rock, Paper, Scissors, the short film about the war in Ukraine, has been nominated for one of the major categories of the prestigious BAFTA, the British film award announced on its official website, according to UNIAN.

Based on actual events, the film has been nominated for “Best British Short Film” and will now compete for the award. British filmmaker of German origin, Franz Blum, directed the short film. The lead role in the 20-minute film was played by Ukrainian actor Alexander Rudinsky, known for his roles in The First Swallows and Stay Online movies. He portrayed 18-year-old Ivan.

Rock, Paper, Scissors depicts events at the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of eastern Ukraine. The plot centers around Ivan’s father, a medic, who secretly operates on injured civilians and soldiers in a bunker that the occupiers eventually discover.

Ivan must protect his family and the wounded, forcing him to take up arms and go into battle. The Ukrainian soldier who served as the prototype for the main character was introduced to the director in the UK, where the Ukrainian was undergoing military training.

Five films have been nominated in the Best British Short Film category. The film Anora, starring Russian actor Yuri Borisov, also garnered seven nominations. The BAFTA awards ceremony will take place on 16 February.

In 2024, the eyewitness documentary 20 Days in Mariupol, shot by war reporter Mstyslav Chernov during the Russian siege of the Ukrainian city in 2022, won an Academy Award — the first for Ukraine.

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