Mr. Nobody Against Putin wins Best Documentary at 98th Academy Awards
During the 98th Academy Awards ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, Talankin delivered a poignant speech in Russian. He reminded the global audience that while many wish upon stars, "there are countries where rockets and drones fall from the sky instead."
A lens into militarization
The documentary exposes the intensifying propaganda and militarization within Russian schools following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Talankin captured the footage while working as a school videographer in the city of Karabash over several years.
In June 2024, Talankin fled Russia, smuggling his video archives out of the country. He collaborated with director David Borenstein to assemble the raw footage into the now-award-winning documentary.
The Kremlin’s wall of silence
Despite the international prestige, Russian state-aligned media outlets have largely ignored the win. Major agencies including RIA Novosti, TASS, and Interfax omitted Talankin’s film from their lists of Oscar laureates.
The production had previously been labeled "anti-Russian" by local sources. Following the film's release, security services reportedly visited Talankin’s former workplace, and his mother was pressured into resigning from her position.
Evening highlights
The ceremony saw Paul Thomas Anderson’s Battle After Battle dominate the night, securing six awards including Best Picture and Best Director. Ryan Coogler’s Sinners took home four trophies, while Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein earned three.
Other major honors included Jessie Buckley winning Best Actress for her role in Hamnet: The Story That Inspired Hamlet. The award for Best International Feature Film went to Joachim Trier’s Norwegian production, Sentimental Value.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
