Films & Events

Directed by David Borenstein and Pavel Talankin, Mr Nobody Against Putin is a gripping and courageous documentary that chronicles one ordinary man’s quiet resistance inside modern Russia. Set in the mining town of Karabash near the Ural Mountains, the film follows Talankin—a school videographer tasked with recording state-mandated “patriotic” programming—as he secretly documents how the Putin administration reshapes education and public perception during the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war. What begins as bureaucratic compliance evolves into an act of whistleblowing, as Talankin risks his safety to expose the machinery of propaganda from within.

Premiering in the World Cinema Documentary section at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, the film won the Special Jury Award and went on to receive widespread international acclaim. It later won Best Documentary at the BAFTA Awards and earned a nomination for Best Documentary Feature at the 98th Academy Awards. With a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and praise from outlets including IndieWire and The Guardian, the film has been celebrated for its clear-eyed insight and moral urgency.

Both an intimate portrait and a political thriller unfolding in real time, Mr Nobody Against Putin stands as a powerful testament to individual conscience in the face of institutional power—revealing how even “nobodies” can challenge the narratives of a nation.

2025. 90 min.