“Mr. Nobody Against Putin” (2025) (Denmark/Czechia/Germany). Cast: Pavel “Pasha” Talankin; Vladimir Putin (archive footage). Director: David Borenstein and Pavel “Pasha” Talankin. Screenplay: David Borenstein. Web site. Trailer.

Courage comes in many forms, some of them plainly apparent and others seemingly unlikely. Ironically, it’s those emboldened but unsuspecting heroes who often end up achieving the greatest victories in their endeavors, even when up against formidable opponents. And now the makings of such an implausible scenario provide the focus for an insightful first-person documentary, one in which an unassuming, mild-mannered David matter-of-factly takes on a daunting Goliath and does so with an unintimidated sense of aplomb and wry tongue-in-cheek humor, a story chronicled in the new delightful but troubling release, “Mr. Nobody Against Putin.”

In the small Ural Mountains community of Karabash, Pavel Talankin (better known as “Pasha”) has lived a quiet life as the special event organizer and videographer of a local grade school. Over the years, he has capably and methodically gone about his everyday duties, such as recording school choir performances and arranging graduation ceremonies. This soft-spoken, down-to-earth soul has accomplished these tasks unobtrusively, essentially fading into the background and making it look like these outcomes came into being on their own. In the course of his daily routine, he has enjoyed genial relations with his colleagues and peers, as well as with the school’s students and alumni. He’s not been one to make waves, and he’s generally been treated fairly by others as a result. However, in February 2022, that all changed.

At that time, Russian head of state Vladimir Putin launched his “special military operation” in (i.e., invasion of) Ukraine, an offensive characterized by relentless brutality. But, to make this effort succeed, the dogmatic strongman needed to make some adjustments domestically while Russian troops carried out this incursion into the country’s neighbor to the south. Specifically, winning the war at home was just as important as attaining victory on the battlefield, and that called for some drastic measures, including significant changes at Pasha’s grade school.

When the war broke out, Putin and his propagandist cronies believed they needed the unwavering support of the citizenry. And, to ensure that it was instilled at an early age, they began with the schools, indoctrinating youngsters into the official ideologies of the state. With lightning speed, the Russian government issued a series of dictates to all of the nation’s schools, requiring the students at these facilities to engage in a series of “educational programs” designed to instruct them (i.e., manipulate their beliefs) about the so-called virtues of Putin’s policies and practices, along with the glories of the Russian state, teachings that were not to be questioned. This instruction took the form of classroom sessions, the recitation of patriotic poetry, the singing of partisan anthems, daily regimental drills, and demonstrations of military weaponry in the form of field practices and student competitions. What’s more, to ensure compliance in these areas, schools were required to complete reams of paperwork and document their efforts with video recordings of these mandatory measures. And, as a consequence, the nature of Pasha’s job changed drastically overnight.

While the videographer usually kept his feelings and opinions to himself, this man of few words suddenly felt as though he had a lot to say. Even though he typically didn’t speak his mind, he found it difficult to keep quiet about the implementation of these troubling shifts in the school’s new mandated curriculum, the nature of which disturbingly harkened back to Soviet Era practices and, previously, the establishment of Nazi-style youth groups. But stepping up in vocal protest was not an option, one that could lead to charges of treason and daunting penalties if tried and convicted.

So what was Pasha to do? He initially resigned from his position, convinced he could no longer do the job that was being asked of him. However, he quickly changed course when he learned that there were interests in the West who wanted to know more about what he had been documenting in the school. Those interests encouraged him to continue chronicling what was happening in hopes that the footage could be smuggled out of Russia so the rest of the world could witness what has unfolding. Pasha agreed and withdrew his resignation, continuing to document what he had been required to record but now with a wholly different intent.

In many regards, Pasha was the ideal candidate to undertake this venture. He was already the school’s videographer, so it came naturally for authorities to assume that he was simply doing his job as he always had, even though the nature of his chronicling had changed to fall in line with government requirements. Then there was his mild-mannered demeanor, someone who came across as not wishing to rock the boat. Indeed, who would suspect anyone of subversiveness with such an easygoing, apparently compliant persona? Little did officials know, however, that he was essentially hiding in plain sight.

Over time, Pasha’s recording efforts expanded to include comparable developments in the public at large, the sentiments of which paralleled what was taking place at the school. Putin had encouraged such highly visible public demonstrations in an effort to further cement public support for the war effort. This was seen as crucial, given that securing the backing of draft age men was considered imperative to ensure that the military had fresh ranks of soldiers at its disposal for deployment on the battlefield. And, considering that these individuals were older and wiser than their more junior (and more impressionable) counterparts, they were seen as potentially being more difficult to sway in terms of their cooperation and support, conscription dictates notwithstanding. Pasha made sure to record these events, too, especially since some of those facing the draft were friends and former students from his school.

Through all of this, Pasha generally kept a low profile, despite a few modest attempts at expressing his defiance. However, as time passed, he began to suspect that he may have become the target of surveillance. And, at that point, he knew he had to begin preparing an exit strategy, one that would allow him to safely escape with his footage intact. It was a difficult decision, given that he would be leaving behind the only home he had ever known. It also meant leaving behind his mother, the school librarian, someone he adored even if their social and political views didn’t always align. But, when he undertook this endeavor, he knew there was a larger purpose behind it that he had to see through, and now it was time to make sure that he complied.

Such is how the story of student indoctrination at the Karabash grade school came into being, primarily thanks to the heroic efforts of one quietly courageous individual. In many ways, Pasha’s story almost seems to defy belief. Indeed, how could someone pull off an accomplishment like this under conditions where the odds were so heavily stacked against him? But the key word in this is “belief” – Pasha succeeded in achieving his goal because he believed he could, and that’s essential given the role that our beliefs play in bringing our existence into being, a product of the conscious creation process, the philosophy that makes such outcomes possible. It’s unclear whether Pasha and his eventual collaborators had ever heard of this school of thought, but, based on the results they attained, it’s apparent that they knew how to employ its principles to accomplish what they set out to do. And we’re all better off for their efforts, showing us what had otherwise been hidden from view and desperately needed to be exposed.

Recognizing the impact of beliefs in this scenario can’t be overemphasized. Fundamentally speaking, if Pasha didn’t believe he could accomplish what he set out to do, it never would have happened; the project would have been derailed before it ever reached completion. That’s true not only if he failed to acknowledge its basic viability, but it also could have been done in by conflicting beliefs that would have undermined its materialization, such as those rooted in doubt, fear or contradiction, the three most common killers of successful manifestation efforts. Fortunately, though, Pasha had faith in his convictions and was committed to following through on his mission. This film and the revelation of its content are proof of that.

Moreover, Pasha’s beliefs in making these developments known provided a powerful incentive in the realization of this result, especially since these notions were operating in direct opposition to a competing set of powerful beliefs – the propaganda behind Putin’s initiatives. In a sense, this situation could be seen as a clash between belief disciplines, one aimed at exposing the truth and one focused on deliberately obscuring it. And, when such opposing outlooks are pitted against one another, it’s not too difficult to determine which one will prevail in the end. Indeed, the notion of “the truth will out” would seem to have more veracity behind it than we may typically give it credit for.

In light of the results to emerge in this film, one could contend that the title is, in actuality, somewhat misleading. Considering what Pasha was able to accomplish, he was truly anything but a “Mr. Nobody,” despite a façade that might have conveyed that impression to his unsuspecting opponents. Without a doubt, Pasha Talankin’s resolve to see this task through is undoubtedly a genuine profile in courage, one that should be recognized and celebrated as such.

If one were a tyrannical despot, it would be “understandable” how critical winning over the hearts and minds of one’s subjects would be in securing their support for one’s cause, no matter how reckless or dubious it might be. And, under circumstances like that, propaganda can serve as a powerful tool in making one’s case. Nevertheless, no matter how potent such a weapon might be, it can still be undermined by a truth- and faith-based campaign designed to expose the deception and distortion. That’s clearly the case here; indeed, if someone as powerful as a head of state can be taken down by a grade school special event organizer, there’s something to be said for the potency of beliefs, especially those rooted in authenticity.

In this case, Mr. Putin didn’t count on the masterfully implemented subversive scheming of Pasha Talankin and the sincere intents underlying his plan. The damning footage Pasha compiled is truly powerful in and of itself, but its impact has been heightened through the collaborative enhancements incorporated by director David Borenstein. Much of the original footage has been successfully augmented with whimsical graphics and tongue-in-cheek audio voiceovers that show the ridiculousness of Putin’s propaganda campaign, especially now that it’s been brought into public view.

However, the laughs here have a troubling undercurrent running through them: To those in the West, these incidents probably appear patently preposterous, even though they’re ultimately anything but funny. What’s more, as effective as this release is in making Putin look innately foolish, there’s also a cautionary tale for those outside of Russia, one that shines a bright light on the fine line between proud patriotism and dangerously dogmatic nationalism. Viewers should thus bear this in mind in between the laughs, encouraging us all to remain vigilant to avoid falling into that trap. Taking pride in one’s country is one thing, but freely embracing carefully calculated partisan falsehoods is something else entirely, and the journey from one to the other is a lot shorter than most of us probably realize. But sometimes a seditiously satirical approach may be just what it takes to expose this truth. “Mr. Nobody Against Putin” is thus one of those films to watch, listen to, and, above all, learn from. This BAFTA Award winner and Oscar nominee for best documentary feature is available for streaming online.

In an age where discerning the truth has become increasingly difficult, many of us would undoubtedly like to hope that we reach a point where we don’t have to expend so much effort to figure out what’s genuine and what isn’t, especially when the stakes involved are dizzyingly high. Such conditions can be so frustrating that it may be tempting to roll over and give up, a move fraught with a host of potentially devastating consequences. But, thankfully, we have intrepid seekers out there who are willing to put themselves on the line for all of us. The courage required to do that can be formidable, but the payoff in the end can make a huge difference, again, for all of us. The inspiration afforded by their examples should embolden us all, enabling us to forge our own profiles in courage. And, to that end, we’d be wise to let individuals like Pasha Talankin show us the way.

Copyright © 2026, by Brent Marchant. All rights reserved.