The Danish-produced film “Mr. Nobody against Putin” (“Mr. Nobody mod Putin”) won the Best Documentary prize at the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) in London on Sunday evening. This Danish documentary explores the militarization of the education system in Russia following the invasion of Ukraine. Furthermore, the film is an official nominee for the upcoming Academy Awards.
A dangerous undercover operation
The documentary provides a rare and critical look inside a Russian primary school. Specifically, Russian teacher Pavel Talankin secretly recorded the footage. He documented the rapid introduction of state propaganda and military recruitment efforts among children in his hometown. Consequently, the Russian authorities forced educators to promote state ideology through mandatory patriotic classes.
Talankin successfully smuggled the digital footage out of Russia. He then collaborated with David Borenstein, a documentary filmmaker from the USA who resides in Denmark. Ultimately, the two men co-directed the film. The documentary highlights the severe ethical dilemmas that ordinary citizens face under an authoritarian government.
Danish and European collaboration
The Danish company Made in Copenhagen produced the project. Helle Faber led the production effort. Additionally, the Czech production company PINK acted as a co-producer. The Danish Film Institute (Det Danske Filminstitut) provided crucial financial support for the film.
Director David Borenstein accepted the award in London. During the ceremony, he thanked Talankin for his courage. Remarkably, Talankin attended the event in person after safely leaving Russia. Borenstein emphasized the importance of the footage, noting that the world needs more ordinary people willing to expose the truth.
The road to the Academy Awards
Meanwhile, this documentary about Putin and his regime now moves toward the Oscars. The Academy Awards ceremony takes place on March 15, 2026. This victory marks a significant achievement for the Nordic film industry. In fact, it is only the second time a Danish production has won a BAFTA in the documentary category. Director Joshua Oppenheimer previously secured the award in 2014 for the Danish-produced film “The Act of Killing” (“The Act of Killing”).
Overall, the international success of “Mr. Nobody against Putin” highlights the continuing influence of the Nordic countries in the global documentary sector. The film previously won the World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award at the Sundance Film Festival in 2025.
