Mr. Nobody Against Putin

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Mr. Nobody Against Putin

Sep 2025

1h 30m

Documentary

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19 Reviews

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

Pavel "Pasha" (33) is a teacher and event organizer at a small primary school in a Russian town with a population of 10,000. In ordinary times, he is a beloved mentor, prankster, and nonconformist, known for hanging up democracy posters and offering a safe haven in his office for students who feel out of place. However, after the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, Pasha took on the role of an international whistleblower, exposing the devastating effects of Russia's aggressive militarization within its own schools. Haunted by his painful years as a student at the same school, Pasha remains a lighthearted and mischievous presence on campus. Yet his mission as a teacher is challenged when a new patriotic education policy is introduced during the early weeks of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Pasha is shocked to learn that his responsibilities now include facilitating daily state-sanctioned propaganda events. To cope with his guilt and feelings of powerlessness, he decides to document how the war is transforming his school. Under the guise of his actual role as the school's videographer, he records hundreds of hours of footage inside classrooms and on school grounds. What emerges is the story of an institution abruptly transformed: propaganda, repressive new laws, militarized children's organizations, and the eventual recruitment of graduating students to fight in Ukraine. Pasha reaches his emotional breaking point as he films farewell parties for cherished students being sent to the frontlines in Ukraine. As the body bags return, Pasha and the rest of the school community grapple with the twin traumas of violence and repression. When Pasha learns his own life may be in danger, he is forced to plan a daring escape from Russia.

Peter Howell

Toronto Star

His principled resistance by filming, joking and refusing to teach lies makes for a riveting, courageous portrait of dissent in a place where truth can land you in jail -- or a cemetery.

May 2, 2025

Full Review

Jacob Oller

AV Club

Despite some forced threads, plenty of the film feels vital—its observations of a nation’s shifting attitude towards war and hate is crushing and familiar.

Rated: C+

Jan 27, 2025

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Christian Blauvelt

IndieWire

Mr. Nobody Against Putin is unique in dealing with serious issues about war and dehumanization with a light, even humorous, and certainly personality-filled, touch -- in the serious-as-a-heart-attack war documentary landscape, it is a unicorn.

Rated: A-

Jan 26, 2025

Full Review

Alfred Castaneda

Shade Studios

It’s one of the best documentaries created on the ongoing struggle between these two countries, and one of the best at Sundance this year.

Jul 30, 2025

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Andrew Parker

The Gate

Jaw dropping and eye opening in equal amounts, Mr. Nobody Against Putin looks at how the Russian government has framed their ongoing military campaign and spun it into misplaced jingoism.

Rated: 8/10

Jul 25, 2025

Full Review

Loren King

Newport This Week (RI)

A moving personal account of how quickly helplessness slides into hopelessness. But in its portrait of an ordinary man who followed his conscience, the film offers a lesson far beyond a Russian classroom.

May 1, 2025

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Ulrik T

This almost apocalyptic documentary from a dictatorship is, on one hand, incredibly life-affirming, and on the other, incomprehensibly sad and tragic. Unfortunately, the film remains perpetually relevant — not only in relation to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, but equally with regard to current developments in the United States and the state of other countries around the world.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/16/25

Full Review

Dan J

I saw this film at a film festival, and what an absolute gem. If I can be more specific with my rating, it would be 4.8/5. The -0.2 is only because it is a movie only some will be interested enough to watch. But those who watched it or will want to watch it, this is a beautiful treat. The film is expertly threaded together in a cohesive story. I am at awe at our filmmaker/our protagonist, Pasha, who managed tell the tale of his school/town and its tragic implications clearly with clear escalating plot points. But it is told with so many moments of humour, of lightness, of innoence, and of beauty. This unique balance make the whole film, which is all documentary, feels like a cinematic masterpiece. And at the heart of the film is Pasha's love. It is because of his love for his students, the changes to his students hurts that much more. It is because he has his own sense of truth, the propanda and its absurdity evoke anger and humour in equal measure. And it is because of Pasha's love for freedom, the tale of a Russian school and its dark descend hits that much harder. It really is something special.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

09/22/25

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David Borenstein

Director

Pasha Talankin

Self

David Borenstein

Screenwriter

Helle Faber

Producer

Pavel Ilyich Talankin

Cinematographer

Nicolaj Monberg

Film Editing

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Synopsis

Pavel "Pasha" (33) is a teacher and event organizer at a small primary school in a Russian town with a population of 10,000. In ordinary times, he is a beloved mentor, prankster, and nonconformist, known for hanging up democracy posters and offering a safe haven in his office for students who feel out of place. However, after the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, Pasha took on the role of an international whistleblower, exposing the devastating effects of Russia's aggressive militarization within its own schools. Haunted by his painful years as a student at the same school, Pasha remains a lighthearted and mischievous presence on campus. Yet his mission as a teacher is challenged when a new patriotic education policy is introduced during the early weeks of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Pasha is shocked to learn that his responsibilities now include facilitating daily state-sanctioned propaganda events. To cope with his guilt and feelings of powerlessness, he decides to document how the war is transforming his school. Under the guise of his actual role as the school's videographer, he records hundreds of hours of footage inside classrooms and on school grounds. What emerges is the story of an institution abruptly transformed: propaganda, repressive new laws, militarized children's organizations, and the eventual recruitment of graduating students to fight in Ukraine. Pasha reaches his emotional breaking point as he films farewell parties for cherished students being sent to the frontlines in Ukraine. As the body bags return, Pasha and the rest of the school community grapple with the twin traumas of violence and repression. When Pasha learns his own life may be in danger, he is forced to plan a daring escape from Russia.

Director: David Borenstein
Producer: Helle Faber
Screenwriter: David Borenstein
Production Co: Made in Copenhagen
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: Russian
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 19, 2025, Limited
Runtime: 1h 30m