Anti-Russian film by former Karabash teacher nominated for Oscar
A documentary secretly filmed by a former teacher in Karabash has been shortlisted for an Academy Award in the feature documentary category.
Feb 1, 2026 0
Pavel Talankin worked as a teacher-organizer at School No. 1 in Karabash, where filming events was among his work duties.
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The film Mr. Nobody Against Putin, which was secretly filmed in Karabash by local School No. 1 teacher Pavel Talankin before he resigned and left the country, has been nominated for an Oscar. The picture, which caused discontent among the city«s residents, made the shortlist in the feature documentary category.
The ceremony for the world«s main film award will take place in the USA on 15 March.
The teacher from Karabash, Pavel Talankin, was featured in The Guardian and Variety exactly a year ago. He drew attention by filming a movie at the school together with American director David Borenstein. According to their admission, everything took place under strict secrecy. The premiere of Mr. Nobody Against Putin was first held in the USA, then it was shown in Europe. The teacher left the Southern Urals, but his relatives stayed, and townspeople worried that his family might face retaliation for such «publicity.»
The students« parents were not thrilled by what they saw. Neither were the residents of Karabash.
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