26/01/2025 - David Borenstein’s documentary is an unsettling account of a provincial Russian school’s transformation into a hub of state indoctrination

David Borenstein’s latest documentary, Mr. Nobody Against Putin, has premiered in the World Cinema Documentary Competition of the Sundance Film Festival, offering a rare glimpse into the abrupt transformation of daily life in a provincial primary school in the Ural Mountains following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The film centres on Pavel “Pasha” Talankin, a popular teacher and the school’s primary videographer, as he documents the shifting dynamics within his community. Through Talankin’s lens, the film examines the personal and institutional machinery of indoctrination in Russia, where the boundaries between education and militarisation become increasingly blurred.

Borenstein’s approach of contextualising social and political dynamics through intimate storytelling carries through into his latest work, credited as a directorial collaboration with protagonist Talankin (who is also listed as the movie’s cinematographer). His previous documentary, Dream Empire [+see also:
trailer
film profile], which explored the surreal intricacies of urbanisation in China through the perspective of a young entrepreneur, leaned into irony and absurdity. In contrast, Mr. Nobody Against Putin adopts a more sombre tone, reflecting the gravity of its subject matter.

Filmed in secrecy over two years, the documentary captures the transformation of a school from a space of learning into one of ideological training through Talankin’s insider perspective and experience. As a teacher and mentor, his immediate access to the unfolding changes allows for a portrayal that transcends traditional observational filmmaking. The film opens with Talankin’s light-hearted introduction to his hometown, once infamous as a destination for travellers and YouTubers documenting its pollution. Initially depicted as a charismatic, fun-loving teacher with a strong rapport with his students, Talankin’s role begins to shift as schools nationwide implement a new syllabus aimed at fostering “patriotism”. The curriculum is infused with historical revisionism and the Kremlin’s key propaganda, with classes required to be filmed and uploaded to government servers.

As the ideological mandate intensifies, Talankin grapples with his role within the system. Once a jovial figure who joked with students, he becomes increasingly anxious about their lives. The documentary follows his growing unease, juxtaposed against his interactions with older students whose siblings and peers are conscripted to fight in Ukraine shortly after graduation. His shift from a beloved teacher to a “problematic” figure mirrors his quiet acts of resistance within the school. These moments of defiance through civic disobedience, however subtle, stand in contrast to the escalating militarisation around him. Schoolchildren participate in patriotic performances and receive battlefield training from members of the Wagner Group, scenes that are as surreal as they are chilling.

Mr. Nobody Against Putin weaves observational footage with Talankin’s diary-like reflections and interaction with locals that probe not only the microcosm of the school, but also the broader community, where dissent against the state narrative is unwelcome. Talankin attempts to protect his students, even as he struggles with his own complicity. Borenstein’s documentary is not a traditional exposé, but rather the chronicle of an insider, providing insights into this life under strict government control, and partly brings to mind Vitaly Mansky’s peek behind the censorship curtain of North Korea in Under the Sun [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Vitaly Mansky
film profile]. It is both a first-person testimony and a character-driven story of resistance. Through Talankin’s experience, the film captures the growing impact of state propaganda on children and youth, as it indoctrinates them with resentment against the West, among others, even though it is clear that they don’t grasp the basics of geopolitics.

Mr. Nobody Against Putin was produced by Made in Copenhagen (Denmark) and co-produced by Pink Production (Czech Republic). DR Sales handles the international sales.