February 26, 2026
FILM: MR. NOBODY AGAINST PUTIN
DIRECTED BY: DAVID BORENSTEIN, PAVEL TALANKIN
RATING: 4 out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
There have been several documentaries in recent years about the effects of Russia’s war on Ukraine. Mr. Nobody Against Putin sheds a whole other light on the subject as it takes the perspective of a school events coordinator documenting how Russia’s buildup encroaches on the life of his students. This is a great historical record which feels like a modern-day version of those Hitler propaganda films, told from someone quietly opposing it on the inside.
Pavel Talankin has become a little bit of everything to the students at a school in the small Russian town of Karabash. Not only is he in charge of filming and coordinating all special events on campus but he’s also a caregiver and friend to the students. Talankin is a jovial, likeable fellow, approximately in his 20s. He narrates the film we are watching which is filled with footage he shot from 2022 onward. Of course, that is the year when, as he says, his job changed.
What he then documents is what happens when the school is ordered by the government to begin pro-Russian mandatory lessons and to teach students to sing patriotic songs. The videos he is forced to shoot feature teachers reading anti-Ukraine sentiments, making the country look like a necessary enemy. He’s also asked to film a pro-war rally. All the videos then are uploaded to a government database. During this period, he is clearly lamenting how the country is brainwashing its young, innocent children and teaching them, among other things, how to throw grenades and operate guns before drafting them into military service. What is happening instantly calls to mind the films shot of Hitler’s own buildup of an army to support his causes before and during World War 2.
How he acts against Putin, as the film’s title implies, is mostly left unseen by the government. He puts X’s on his windows as support for Ukraine refugees. He plays Lady Gaga singing the American National Anthem for his students. Most of what he does is under the radar but seemingly effective, if for a short time. Locals don’t have much choice but to support Putin’s war efforts, but Talankin offers small, brave acts to show that not everyone in the country is a pro-war Russian patriot.
Most of the camera work for the film is shot by Talankin. There’s another camera operator who is listed in the credits as “anonymous,” and rightly so, to protect their identity. It’s amazing that this much footage was captured and that the school continued to allow such regular shoots over the course of two years. But then, Talankin, as shown in the film, is that dynamic and is a major part of the school’s community. The cinematography is very good too. Thanks to the affordability and quality of cameras today, the look of the film is exceedingly professional.
Ultimately, Talankin is far from a “nobody” but his work in this film suggests that even someone at his level in the school system can have a big impact on students and now the world.
Mr. Nobody Against Putin is currently nominated for the Best Documentary Feature Oscar. It is available to rent/buy on Amazon Prime and can be streamed as part of Kino Films’ online subscription service, which does offer a free 7-day trial. It also opens in various theatrical markets including a run at Chicago’s Siskel Center on March 6th.
FILM: MR. NOBODY AGAINST PUTIN
DIRECTED BY: DAVID BORENSTEIN, PAVEL TALANKIN
RATING: 4 out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
There have been several documentaries in recent years about the effects of Russia’s war on Ukraine. Mr. Nobody Against Putin sheds a whole other light on the subject as it takes the perspective of a school events coordinator documenting how Russia’s buildup encroaches on the life of his students. This is a great historical record which feels like a modern-day version of those Hitler propaganda films, told from someone quietly opposing it on the inside.
Pavel Talankin has become a little bit of everything to the students at a school in the small Russian town of Karabash. Not only is he in charge of filming and coordinating all special events on campus but he’s also a caregiver and friend to the students. Talankin is a jovial, likeable fellow, approximately in his 20s. He narrates the film we are watching which is filled with footage he shot from 2022 onward. Of course, that is the year when, as he says, his job changed.
What he then documents is what happens when the school is ordered by the government to begin pro-Russian mandatory lessons and to teach students to sing patriotic songs. The videos he is forced to shoot feature teachers reading anti-Ukraine sentiments, making the country look like a necessary enemy. He’s also asked to film a pro-war rally. All the videos then are uploaded to a government database. During this period, he is clearly lamenting how the country is brainwashing its young, innocent children and teaching them, among other things, how to throw grenades and operate guns before drafting them into military service. What is happening instantly calls to mind the films shot of Hitler’s own buildup of an army to support his causes before and during World War 2.
How he acts against Putin, as the film’s title implies, is mostly left unseen by the government. He puts X’s on his windows as support for Ukraine refugees. He plays Lady Gaga singing the American National Anthem for his students. Most of what he does is under the radar but seemingly effective, if for a short time. Locals don’t have much choice but to support Putin’s war efforts, but Talankin offers small, brave acts to show that not everyone in the country is a pro-war Russian patriot.
Most of the camera work for the film is shot by Talankin. There’s another camera operator who is listed in the credits as “anonymous,” and rightly so, to protect their identity. It’s amazing that this much footage was captured and that the school continued to allow such regular shoots over the course of two years. But then, Talankin, as shown in the film, is that dynamic and is a major part of the school’s community. The cinematography is very good too. Thanks to the affordability and quality of cameras today, the look of the film is exceedingly professional.
Ultimately, Talankin is far from a “nobody” but his work in this film suggests that even someone at his level in the school system can have a big impact on students and now the world.
Mr. Nobody Against Putin is currently nominated for the Best Documentary Feature Oscar. It is available to rent/buy on Amazon Prime and can be streamed as part of Kino Films’ online subscription service, which does offer a free 7-day trial. It also opens in various theatrical markets including a run at Chicago’s Siskel Center on March 6th.