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'Mr. Nobody Against Putin' wins best documentary feature Oscar

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review

Posted on March 16, 2026

2 min read

· Last updated: April 1, 2026

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'Mr. Nobody Against Putin' wins best documentary feature Oscar
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LOS ANGELES, March 15 (Reuters) - "Mr. Nobody Against Putin," about a young Russian schoolteacher waging quiet resistance against Russia's war on Ukraine, won the Oscar for best documentary feature on

Mr. Nobody Against Putin Wins Best Documentary Feature at Oscars 2024

Oscar Victory for 'Mr. Nobody Against Putin'

LOS ANGELES, March 15 (Reuters) - "Mr. Nobody Against Putin," about a young Russian schoolteacher waging quiet resistance against Russia's war on Ukraine, won the Oscar for best documentary feature on Sunday.

Film Overview and Message

"Mr. Nobody Against Putin" is about how you lose your country, and what we saw when working with this footage is that you lose it through countless small, little acts of complicity," director David Borenstein said on stage alongside co-director Pavel Talankin.

Director's Statement

"When we act complicit, when a government murders people on the streets of our major cities, when we don't say anything, when oligarchs take over media and control how we produce it," he added. 

Documentary Production and Impact

The film, created by Borenstein and Talankin, uses two years of footage shot by Talankin to show how the Russian state indoctrinates students with pro-war messages. The videographer documents his own persecution and eventual exile in the film, which The Hollywood Reporter called a "touching, intimate chronicle."

Other Nominees

Competing Documentary Features

The other documentary feature nominees this year were "Cutting Through Rocks," "The Perfect Neighbor," "The Alabama Solution," and "Come See Me in the Good Light."

Reporting Credits

(Reporting by Danielle Broadway; Editing by Nick Zieminski and Howard Goller)

Key Takeaways

  • The film premiered at Sundance 2025, winning the World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award, and subsequently took Best Documentary honors at the BAFTAs before securing the Oscar (en.wikipedia.org).
  • Shot over two years by Talankin in the Ural mining town of Karabash, the documentary exposes school indoctrination under Putin, highlighting how small acts of complicity can erode a country—a theme underscored by Borenstein’s Oscar acceptance speech (en.wikipedia.org).
  • The win was seen as a surprise upset over expected favorite “The Perfect Neighbor” and adds to the film’s awards momentum, which included critical acclaim from outlets like Reuters and AP (apnews.com)

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What is 'Mr. Nobody Against Putin' about?
'Mr. Nobody Against Putin' follows a Russian schoolteacher's resistance to state indoctrination and the war on Ukraine.
Who directed 'Mr. Nobody Against Putin'?
The documentary was directed by David Borenstein and Pavel Talankin.
Why did 'Mr. Nobody Against Putin' win an Oscar?
The film's impactful portrayal of quiet resistance and the dangers of complicity in Russia's political climate earned it the best documentary feature Oscar.
What other documentaries were nominated for best documentary feature?
Other nominees included 'Cutting Through Rocks,' 'The Perfect Neighbor,' 'The Alabama Solution,' and 'Come See Me in the Good Light.'
Where was the Oscar ceremony held?
The Oscar ceremony was held in Los Angeles.

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