Year
2025
Length
1h30m
Language
Russian
Québec premiere
Mr. Nobody Against Putin
David Borenstein, Pavel Talankin
Pavel “Pasha” (33), a teacher and videographer at a Russian primary school, is a free spirit known for his humor and support of marginalized students. After Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, he becomes a whistleblower, exposing the growing militarization of schools.
Forced to promote state propaganda, he secretly films the school’s transformation: indoctrination, repression, and the recruitment of students. As violence and grief mount, Pasha begins planning his escape from Russia.
Preceded by the short film To Be Eighteen (The War), by Romane Pilote Lamontagne.
Director
David Borenstein, Pavel Talankin
Editor
Monberg Nicolaj, Lønqvist Rebekka
Composer
Rataj Michal, Struck Jonas
Country
Denmark, Czech Republic
Type
Feature film
Category
Documentary
Subtitle
English
Awards
Sundance Film Festival 2025
Docville 2025
Zagreb DOX
Full Frame Documentary Film Festival
Docs Barcelona
22 August 13:30 to 15:09
Théâtre de Lac-Brome
David Borenstein
David Borenstein is a filmmaker based in Copenhagen. His award-winning films include Can’t Feel Nothing (CPH: DOX 2024), Love Factory (NYTimes 2021), and Dream Empire (IDFA 2016). In addition to his feature work, David has produced and directed television for countless international broadcasters, earning him the broadcast equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize.
Pavel Talankin
Until recently, Pasha Talankin was a teacher-organizer at Karabash Primary School #1 in Karabash, Russia. As part of his job, he served as school videographer and instructed children in shooting and editing video. Mr. Nobody Against Putin is his first film. He now lives in Europe.