Denmark/Czechia/Germany, 2025, 90 min., Russian with English and Bulgarian subtitles, dir. David Borenstein, Pavel Talankin
Pavel “Pasha” Talankin is an unlikely hero—a beloved Russian primary school teacher, known as a mentor and prankster who offers students a safe haven in his office. As Russia launches its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Pasha’s role in the school changes dramatically as he is reluctantly drawn into Putin’s propaganda machine. When he learns his own life may be at risk, Pasha is forced to plan a dangerous escape from Russia.
Screenwriter: David Borenstein
DOP: Pavel Talankin
Music: Peter Schultz, Kevin Bavnhøj, Teis Syvsig
Production: BBC Storyville
Director’s Biography:
Borenstein began his career in radio broadcasting and directed his first feature film, Dream Empire, in 2016.He spent ten years in China working on the film, shooting documentaries about the fringes of Chinese society.For this work, he received several nominations and won the Golden Alexander for Best Documentary at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival.He is the director of the documentary Mr Nobody Against Putin, released in 2025.
Pavel Talankin is a Russian teacher and documentary filmmaker who worked as a teacher-organizer and school videographer at Karabash Primary School No. 1 in Karabash, Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia.He is credited as co-director, cinematographer, and narrator of the anti-war opposition documentary feature Mr Nobody Against Putin (2025). The film won the BAFTA Award for Best Documentary and the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature at the 98th Academy Awards.