Mantas Kvedaravicius, a Lithuanian filmmaker and director, was killed while producing a film about the Russian invasion of Ukraine on April, 2nd 2022 in Mariupol, southeastern Ukraine, according to his partner Hanna Bilobrova.
Kvedaravicius was filming "Mariupolis 2" about the Russian-Ukrainian war, which started on February 24th after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced "special military operations" in Ukraine. The Lithuanian filmmaker was killed before he finished the documentary.
⚡️ ‘Mariupolis 2’ receives special award at Cannes.
— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) May 28, 2022
The film’s Lithuanian director, Mantas Kvedaravicius, was killed by Russian forces while documenting Russian atrocities in Mariupol on April 3. His film won the jury’s Special Award at the Cannes Film Festival on May 28.
His partner, Hanna Bilobrova said to The Sunday Times that Mantas Kvedaravicius was taken as a prisoner by the Russian forces in Maripol and was killed after being shot in his head and his chest while trying to flee Mariupol city.
The director and actress Bilobrova is said to have been super proud to finish her partner's work and continued directing "Mariupolis 2" after Kvedaravicius' death at the hands of Russian soldiers.
Kvedaravicius's film "Mariupolis 2" won the jury’s Special Award at the 75th Cannes Film Festival on May 28.
Furthermore, this is not the only film directed by Mantas Kvedaravicius that highlights Russian war crimes; the Lithuanian filmmaker directed back in 2016 "Mariupol" and shed the light on Russian crimes.
Kvedaravicius had won two awards for his 2016 "Mariupol" documentary, Best Documentary, 2016 Lithuanian Film Awards, and Best Director, 2016 Vilnius International Film Festival.
'Mariupolis 2', by director killed in Ukraine, premieres at Cannes Film Festival pic.twitter.com/mpQuJrwHG7
— Justin Castiel (@castiel_justin) May 22, 2022
About Mantas Kvedaravicius:
Mantas Kvedaravicius was a Lithuanian filmmaker, anthropologist, and archaeologist known for war reporting in hostile areas. He achieved a PhD in social anthropology from the University of Cambridge and was an Associate Professor at Vilnius University.
