Russian Documentary ‘Mr. Nobody Against Putin’ Wins BAFTA Award

The documentary “Mr. Nobody Against Putin,” which offers a rare glimpse into the indoctrination of Russian children following the country’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, has won the prestigious Best Documentary award at the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) on Sunday.

The film represents a bold act of resistance through its unique collection of footage secretly preserved by Pavel Talankin, who previously worked as a school videographer and event coordinator in a small town in Russia’s Chelyabinsk region. Talankin collaborated with American filmmaker David Borenstein, who is based in Denmark, to create this revealing portrait of Russia’s educational system.

During the award acceptance speech, Borenstein highlighted the moral courage behind the project. “Thank you, Pavel, for showing me that no matter how dark things get… we always face a moral choice. We need more Mr. Nobodies,” he said while receiving the BAFTA.

The documentary exposes how Russian schools have increasingly become vehicles for state propaganda since the Ukraine invasion began in February 2022. It details the expansion of militarized youth programs and the mounting pressure on educators to promote Kremlin-approved ideologies to impressionable students—practices reminiscent of Soviet-era indoctrination methods but adapted for the modern context.

In an interview with The Moscow Times last year, Talankin revealed that his decision to document these practices stemmed from troubling directives issued by Russia’s Education Ministry. These mandates required him to film specific patriotic rituals, songs, and poetry recitals that would later be used in official state publications. What began as routine school videography evolved into a clandestine documentation of the state’s systematic efforts to shape young minds.

Talankin’s position gave him unprecedented access to observe these changes from within the system. As the political climate in Russia grew increasingly repressive, particularly toward those questioning the official narrative about the war in Ukraine, Talankin made the difficult decision to leave his homeland. He fled Russia in 2024 before the documentary’s release and has since relocated to the Czech Republic, joining thousands of Russians who have left the country amid intensifying crackdowns on dissent.

Borenstein’s contribution to the project was crucial in framing Talankin’s raw footage within a broader context of universal concerns about free speech and indoctrination. Their partnership produced a documentary that resonates beyond Russia’s specific political landscape, touching on fundamental questions about education, propaganda, and resistance in authoritarian contexts.

The film’s impact extends beyond the BAFTA recognition. After premiering at the Sundance Film Festival and the Göteborg Film Festival last year, “Mr. Nobody Against Putin” has now been nominated for the 2026 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, positioning it for potentially wider global attention.

The documentary arrives at a critical moment when Russia has intensified efforts to control information and suppress independent voices. Recent legislation has expanded the government’s ability to label organizations and individuals as “foreign agents” or “undesirable,” effectively criminalizing independent journalism and dissent. The Moscow Times itself has been designated as an “undesirable” organization by Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office, highlighting the increasingly hostile environment for free press in the country.

Through its intimate portrayal of how ideology infiltrates classrooms, “Mr. Nobody Against Putin” offers international audiences a window into the less visible aspects of Russia’s increasingly authoritarian turn, documenting how the Ukraine war has accelerated the state’s efforts to shape the beliefs of its youngest citizens.