The Film about Putin That Won an Oscar

When the film “Mr. Nobody against Putin,” which deals with propaganda in Russian schools, was screened in the West, Russian official media, of course, was quick to condemn it as "Russophobic." Now that the film won the 2026 Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, it's getting even more attention.

Its main character and co-director, Pavel Talankin, a former employee of a provincial school, has been branded a traitor to the motherland. In addition, Russia's Presidential Council for Human Rights filed a complaint with the Academy Awards organizing committee and UNESCO regarding the use of footage of children without their parents’ consent.

“You have to admit, it’s kind of strange when, in the 21st century, a grown man secretly films children,” a regional newspaper wrote. “By the way, it’s unclear whether he filmed them only while they were dressed. Or did he peek into the boys’ locker room?” An anonymous author called Talankin a “Judas” whom “the whole town is dishing the dirt on.” There were also reports that the relatives of the former school events coordinator were being threatened, and that his mother had even been forced to resign from her job as a librarian at the same school.

The publication New Tab traveled to the city of Karabash to find out if people there really hate Talankin that much. Some Karabash residents reacted sharply to questions about the film, but many, including his former students, spoke warmly of their former neighbor. “He’s a good guy,” said the flower seller who sold Talankin a bouquet for his mother in the film. “It’s his decision, his opinion. Since we’re human beings, we have to respect every opinion, right? You do understand why we don't say anything, don't you?”

Talankin’s mother still works at the school; in an interview the day after the Oscar ceremony, Talankin said that she brought a cake to work that morning to treat her colleagues in celebration of her son’s victory. 

The film and the award caused heated debate in opposition circles, but the Kremlin is largely pretending that nothing happened. The head of the presidential press service said at a briefing with journalists that he could not comment on the film because he hadn’t seen it, and state media simply did not report in the news that a Russian had won an Oscar. Neither federal TV channels nor major news agencies mentioned it. 

However, the propagandists did not present a unified front. While some ignored the American award entirely, others reported on the winners in the other categories and omitted this film. There were also some state-controlled media outlets that reported on the film’s success very briefly, without going into detail. The most original approach came from the Ura.ru, which published a news item titled “A film about president Vladimir Putin won an Oscar.” However, the statement soon disappeared from the site.