Mr. Nobody Against Putin is a documentary about Pavel “Pasha” Talankin, a teacher in the small Russian town of Karabash. Karabash’s main claim to fame is that, because of a copper smelting plant, it is known as the most toxic place in the world. Talankin is one of those teachers who is so helpful to his students that they come back to visit him after they have graduated. He attended the school himself, and his mother is still the school librarian. Talankin is also the school’s official videographer and the person in charge of organizing extra-curricular activities for students of all ages.
But then something bad happens. Vladimir Putin invades Ukraine. What he thought would be a quick and easy victory turns out to be an embarrassing blunder. To cover up his humiliation, Putin orders teachers all over Russia to read aloud pro-war propaganda to their students, which they are supposed to present as their own ideas. Later, Putin goes further, ordering the students themselves to give speeches in favor of Putin’s war. Talankin, as school videographer, is responsible for recording these forced speeches and sending them to the propaganda authorities.
Talankin can’t take it anymore and submits his resignation as videographer. But then he makes contact with filmmakers in another country, presumably director David Borenstein and others in Denmark, who encourage him to keep filming and smuggle the footage out of Russia. Talankin withdraws his resignation and does exactly that.
Putin’s takeover of Russia’s educational system is shocking. The boy students are even taught how to handle grenades and how to dismantle and reassemble rifles. Fortunately, Talankin is an amusing fellow, who inserts his own versions of resistance. For example, the students have been ordered to march in goosestep as part of a daily “procession of the colors.” Talankin replaces the Russian national anthem with Lady Gaga singing The Star-Spangled Banner.
Talankin’s behavior is juxtaposed with that of another teacher, Pavel Abdulmanov, whose heroes include Stalinist murderers. But, as Talankin says, “Love for your country is not about propaganda; loving your country is being able to say, ‘We have a problem.’”
