Screen can reveal the first trailer for Mr. Nobody Against Putin, a documentary filmed undercover showing Russian propaganda, that will have its world premiere at Sundance Film Festival on Saturday, January 25.

The film has sold to broadcasters in Sweden (SVT), Norway (NRK), VRPO (the Netherlands) and RTS (French-speaking Switzerland) ahead of its launch. Denmark-based sales firm DR Sales will be conducting further sales including for theatrical releases following the world premiere, with Cinetic handling the North America rights.

It was the first title in the World Documentary programme at this year’s Sundance to sell out all its screenings, with further screenings on Sunday 26, Monday 27, Friday 31 and Saturday 1.

Mr. Nobody Against Putin was filmed secretly over two years by Pavel ‘Pasha’ Talankin, a teacher at a small Russian primary school who was required to comply with a new patriotic education policy following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

To cope with his guilt at having to enact this propaganda, Pasha recorded hundreds of hours of footage under the guise of his actual role as the school’s videographer. Pasha has now left Russia for his safety.

It is directed by Denmark-based filmmaker David Borenstein, and co-directed by Pasha.

“I just felt I had no right to delete this material,” says Pasha of his footage. “Luckily, David came along and suggested turning it into a film. We often talked on the phone and met in Turkey.”

“After working with Pasha for half a year, it became clear that we would require a complicated and expensive plan to ensure Pasha’s security and future after the film’s release,” says Borenstein, who then recruited Helle Faber of Denmark’s Made In Copenhagen to produce the film, with Radovan Sibrt of the Czech Republic’s Pink as co-producer. “Our security plan for the collaboration was extraordinarily complicated, involving encrypted communication, code words, and clandestine international meetings.”

“If anyone had found out that I was cooperating with foreigners and sending them something, law enforcement would have had a lot of questions for me,” says Pasha. “It was difficult even to use messengers because you never know if you’re being monitored or not. The day a police car appeared under my windows—a car that had no reason to be there—and stayed parked for three days, leaving only for lunch and at the end of the day, I was truly scared. Taking the material out [of the country] was a nerve-wracking experience for me, especially going through baggage screening.”

“Although Pasha has now left Russia, he must still remain cautious,” says Borenstein. “What he has filmed captures the message that the Putin regime conveys to the children of Russia on a daily basis. At this moment, it is crucial for us to listen carefully to this message of empire, nationalism, and perpetual war.”

“I would like this film to serve as a witness to an era - a textbook that teaches us that when the authorities force you to love your country, there is reason to fear that this regime will last a long time,” says Pasha.

Mr. Nobody Against Putin is a third feature documentary for US director Borenstein, after 2016’s Dream Empire, which played at IDFA, CPH:DOX and Thessaloniki; and last year’s CPH:DOX premiere Can’t Feel Nothing.

Topics