A Russian court has banned the Oscar-winning documentary Mr Nobody Against Putin, ruling the film spreads “negative attitudes” about the government and the war in Ukraine. The decision blocks distribution of the award-winning film across Russia, including on major streaming platforms. Prosecutors argued the documentary portrays the state and its military campaign in an unacceptable light — and even promotes extremism. Court moves swiftly after global awards success The documentary, directed by David Borenstein and Pavel Talankin, won the top documentary prize at the Academy Awards earlier this month and also picked up a trophy at the BAFTA Awards. The film first premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2025, where it received a special jury prize. But on Thursday a court in Russia’s Chelyabinsk region ordered the film banned nationwide, accepting prosecutors’ claims that it promotes “extremism and terrorism”. Secret classroom footage exposes war messaging At the centre of the film is covert footage recorded over two years by Talankin, a teacher in the industrial town of Karabash. The recordings show how Russian schools introduced “patriotic” lessons after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Pupils are shown attending lectures justifying the war, taking part in military-style drills and meeting visiting veterans. Talankin later passed the footage to Borenstein, an American filmmaker living in Denmark, helping create a rare inside look at how the war narrative is delivered to Russian children. Authorities cite extremist symbols and child filming The court said the film encourages hostility toward the government and contains banned political symbols, including the white-blue-white flag used by some Russian anti-war activists. Prosecutors also argued children were filmed without parental consent, an issue raised by Russia’s presidential human rights council. The ruling says the ban is necessary “in the interests of an indefinite number of persons”. Culture war deepens inside Russia The Kremlin has not publicly commented on the decision, but officials have repeatedly defended sweeping changes to the national curriculum since 2022. Schools are now required to run patriotic education programmes aligned with the state’s narrative of the war. When accepting his Oscar, Talankin framed the film as a warning about silence and complicity. “Mr Nobody Against Putin is about how you lose your country,” Borenstein said. “You lose it through countless small acts.” Russia bans Oscar-winning documentary Mr Nobody against Putin
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