Mr. Nobody Against Putin selected for Sundance 2025

Pasha Talankin is an unlikely hero—a beloved Russian primary school teacher, known as a mentor and prankster who offers students a safe haven in his office. After Russia invades Ukraine, Pasha’s role in the school changes dramatically as he is reluctantly drawn into Putin’s propaganda machine. Forced to promote state-sanctioned messages and horrified by the transformation of his school and community, he struggles with guilt and a sense of powerlessness, leading him to become an international whistleblower. As the school’s videographer, Pasha documents intimate and revealing footage of Putin’s regime, capturing the rise of militarized children’s groups, repressive laws, fervent nationalism, and the recruitment of graduating students to fight in the war. When he learns his own life may be at risk, Pasha is forced to plan a dangerous escape from Russia. David Borenstein states: “Russia's full-scale militarization has deeply affected everyday life for ordinary Russian people, changing institutions across the country. Through Pasha's remarkable story, we get a rare and close look at how these changes play out in a single school. This perspective is key to better understanding modern Russia, where militarization signals anything but a peaceful future for the European continent. But for me, the most powerful part of the film is Pasha himself. His countless hours of footage tell a moving story about the emotional struggles of being an outsider in such a harsh system. At the same time, it shows how picking up a camera can become a way to find hidden strength". The film provides a rare, intimate and contemporary insight into Putin's Russia and will screen in the World Cinema Documentary Competition on January 25th 2025. The film is directed by David Borenstein in collaboration with co-director and main character in the film, Russian teacher Pavel “Pasha” Talankin. Pasha has been filming for two years, continuously smuggling footage out of Russia. The film is produced by Helle Faber for made in copenhagen in co-production with the Czech production company, Pink.