Mr Nobody Against Putin – European Film Festival 2026

Tickets: Spazju Kreattiv - Malta’s national Centre for Creativity - Ticketengine 

The European Commission Representation in Malta is proud to present Mr Nobody Against Putin for the first time in Maltese cinemas, as part of the 6^th European Film Festival organised by EUNIC Malta. 

The Academy Award-winning documentary is a first-person account of everyday courage and resistance to Kremlin propaganda on its war of aggression against Ukraine. 

Pavel “Pasha” (33) is a teacher and event organiser at a small primary school in a Russian town with a population of 10,000. After the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, Pasha went from being a mentor, prankster and a safe haven, to become an international whistleblower, exposing the devastating effects of Russia’s aggressive militarisation within its own schools.  

Haunted by his painful years as a student at the same school, Pasha remains a lighthearted and mischievous presence on campus. Yet his mission as a teacher is challenged when a new patriotic education policy is introduced during the early weeks of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Pasha is shocked to learn that his responsibilities now include facilitating daily state-sanctioned propaganda events.  

To cope with his guilt and feelings of powerlessness, he decides to document how the war is transforming his school. Under the guise of his actual role as the school's videographer, he records hundreds of hours of footage inside classrooms and on school grounds. What emerges is the story of an institution abruptly transformed: propaganda, repressive new laws, militarized children’s organizations, and the eventual recruitment of graduating students to fight in Ukraine.  

Pasha reaches his emotional breaking point as he films farewell parties for cherished students being sent to the frontlines in Ukraine. As the body bags return, Pasha and the rest of the school community grapple with the twin traumas of violence and repression.   

When Pasha learns his own life may be in danger, he is forced to plan a daring escape from Russia. 

Mr Nobody against Putin 

Year of production: 2025 

Length: ca. 90 min 

Directors: David Borenstein & Pavel Talankin 

Presented in Malta with the support of Cineuropa. 

Awards 

Academy Award - Best Documentary Feature Film 

British Academy Film Award - Best Documentary 

Sundance - Winner of Special Jury Award // World Cinema Documentary 

Zagreb Dox - Big stamp award 

Docville - Topic award