Mstyslav Chernov's film '2,000 Meters to Andriivka' wins Directors Guild of America award
Ukrainian director and journalist Mstyslav Chernov’s film "2,000 Meters to Andriivka" received the award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary at the 2026 Directors Guild of America award ceremony on Feb. 7.
Chernov, an acclaimed war correspondent and documentary filmmaker, worked on the project with Associated Press photographer Oleksandr Babienko. Chernov is best known for his previous documentary "20 Days in Mariupol," which won the Oscar for Best Documentary at the 96th Academy Awards in March 2024.
The Ukrainian Film Academy announced the award in a post to social media on Feb. 8, noting that this was Chernov’s second award from the Directors Guild of America, with the first being for 20 Days in Mariupol.
2,000 Meters to Andriivka follows Ukraine’s 2023 counteroffensive, as Chernov embeds with a platoon from the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade. Their mission was to liberate Andriivka, a strategically important village in Donetsk Oblast. Surrounded by mines, the village is accessible only through a narrow stretch of forest, making the battle particularly grueling.
The film was produced by Michelle Misner and Rainey Aronson-Rath, both of whom won an Oscar for "20 Days in Mariupol."
In December 2025, it was announced that Chernov's latest film has advanced to the shortlist of contenders for the 98th Academy Awards, alongside Ukrainian Director Anastasiia Falileieva's nomination for "I Died in Irpin," — an animated short film depicting a young couple fleeing Kyiv during the start of Russia's full-scale war.
Both "I Died in Irpin" and "2000 Meters to Andriivka" have already drawn significant attention on the festival circuit. The films have garnered multiple nominations and awards, including Chernov’s Directing Award for World Cinema Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival and Falileieva’s Best of the Best short film honor at the Emile Awards.
The 98th Academy Awards ceremony will take place on March 15, 2026.
