Mr. Nobody Against Putin - David Borenstein & Pavel Talankin

After 2022, Russian schools turned into recruitment hubs: lessons had to align with Kremlin policy. Pavel “Pasha” Talankin, a teacher in Karabash, transforms his camera into a tool of resistance. He films classes and daily life, then flees into exile with the footage. Director David Borenstein shapes these images into a gripping portrait of militarized education and one man’s refusal to remain silent.

David Borenstein (b. 1984) is an American documentary filmmaker based in Copenhagen. Trained in anthropology, he spent ten years in China working as a translator. His films, including Dream Empire (2016) and Can’t Feel Nothing (2024), earned international acclaim. Mr Nobody Against Putin won a top award at Sundance.