The Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, has denounced the killing of documentary film maker Mantas Kvedaravicius who died in his car while attempting to escape the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol on 2 April.
“I condemn the killing of Mantas Kvedaravicius. The film maker’s tragic death again draws our attention to the urgent need to protect media workers, especially in conflict situations. The perpetrators of this crime must be identified and brought to trial, in the interest of justice, freedom of expression and artistic freedom,” says a statement released by UNESCO Director-General on April 6. .
Kvedaravicius was known for his documentary work on Mariupol. His documentary, Mariupolis, was presented at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2016.
Mariupolis is a documentary about the everyday life of Mariupol. A step away from the city there is a war, but people are trying to continue living. The sounds of gunshots can be heard within the city. A man fixes a fishing net and goes out to sea. Two trams collide with each other – no one was injured, the wires are repaired the same day. A small concert was organized for the workers at the factory – the sincere play of the violinist moved them to tears. Bombs fall into the sea, but people are used to it.
