A Russian court in Chelyabinsk has officially banned the distribution of the documentary “Mr. Nobody Against Putin”

The ruling targets the film’s availability on major Russian platforms, including Yandex and VKontakte, effectively criminalizing its distribution within the country.

According to the ruling by the Central District Court, the documentary was banned for several reasons:

• “Propagating Extremism”: The court cited the appearance of the “white-blue-white” flag, a symbol used by the Russian anti-war opposition and the “Freedom of Russia” Legion, which is classified as extremist in Russia.
• Negative Portrayal: Prosecutors argued the film creates a “negative attitude” toward the Russian government and the ongoing military operations in Ukraine.
• Privacy Violations: The state claimed that co-director Pavel Talankin filmed schoolchildren without parental consent, an argument previously raised by Russia’s presidential human rights council to call for an international investigation by the Academy and UNESCO.

Directed by Pavel Talankin (a former school videographer) and American filmmaker David Borenstein, the documentary is a raw look at state-led indoctrination.

• The Footage: Talankin secretly filmed “patriotic lessons” and pro-war propaganda at a school in the Ural Mountains town of Karabash for two years.
• The Escape: He smuggled the footage out of the country when he fled Russia in 2024.
• The Impact: In his Oscar acceptance speech, Talankin dedicated the win to a future “without shooting bombs and drones.”

The Broader Context

This ban follows a pattern of the Kremlin suppressing high-profile international media critical of its administration. It is the third time this decade a film critical of the Russian government has won this specific Oscar, following Navalny (2023) and 20 Days in Mariupol (2024).

While the Kremlin officially claims it “has not seen” the film, the legal move today ensures that most Russian citizens will only be able to view it via VPNs or bootleg copies.