Russian Court Bans Oscar-Winning Documentary "Mr. Nobody Against Putin" Over "Extremism" Claims

A Russian court in the Chelyabinsk region has officially banned the Oscar-winning documentary "Mr. Nobody Against Putin"* from several major streaming platforms. The court ruled on Thursday that the film promotes "terrorism" and fosters "negative attitudes" toward the Russian government and its military operations in Ukraine. 

This legal move marks the first time Russian authorities have used the judicial system to restrict access to the film since its global success.

The documentary, which won Best Documentary at the Academy Awards earlier this month, was created using two years of footage secretly filmed and smuggled out of the country by Pavel Talankin, a former school videographer. The film exposes pro-war propaganda and "patriotic" lessons delivered to primary school children in the industrial town of Karabash. 

Talankin, who fled Russia in 2024 to avoid prosecution, collaborated with American director David Borenstein to bring the footage to the world stage.

In addition to allegations of promoting extremism, the court specifically objected to the film's display of the "white-blue-white" flag, a symbol used by the Russian opposition to protest the war. The Kremlin-appointed human rights council also lodged a complaint, alleging that the filmmakers used images of minors without obtaining parental consent. 

While the Kremlin initially claimed it had not seen the film, the ban highlights an intensifying crackdown on any media that challenges the state’s narrative on the invasion of Ukraine.