FAST FORWARD 2025 / Projections:
13/12/2025 / 17h00 / Montenegrin Cinematheque / Podgorica
13/12/2025 / 19h00 / Cinema “Boka” / Kotor
David Borenstein & Pavel Talankin / Denmark, Czech Republic, Germany / 2025 / 90’
Directors: Pavel Talankin
Screenplay: David Borenstein
Producers: Helle Faber; Co-producers: Radovan Síbrt, Alžběta Karásková, Petra Dobešová
Director of Photography: Pavel Talankin
Editing: Nicolaj Monberg, Rebekka Lønqvist
Music: Michal Rataj, Jonas Struck
Sound: Peter Schultz, Kevin Bavnhøj, Teis Sysvig
Production Companies: Made in Copenhagen, Pink Productions, ZDF / Arte
Countries of production: Denmark, Czech Republic, Germany
Year: 2025
Runtime: 90’
SYNOPSIS
At a time of heightened state surveillance and a shrinking space for public dissent, the film follows an “ordinary” Russian citizen who, without political protection or social status, decides to openly oppose Putin’s regime. Through his struggle, the film raises questions about personal courage, the price of freedom, and the limits of individual resistance in an authoritarian society.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Pavel Talankin (1991) is a Russian author and teacher from the town of Karabash in the Chelyabinsk region. He worked as an extracurricular activities coordinator at a local school, where he was responsible for filming school events – classes, ceremonies, performances and competitions. After the start of the war in Ukraine, his camera captured the increasingly pervasive militarisation of education and the spread of wartime propaganda in the school system. In 2024, he left Russia, taking with him seven hard drives of this material, which he then, in collaboration with American documentary filmmaker David Borenstein, turned into the film Mr. Nobody Against Putin, which had its world premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.
FESTIVALS AND AWARDS
- Sundance Film Festival, 2025 – World Cinema Documentary Competition; Special Jury Award
- CPH:DOX, 2025 – International Programme
- DOK.fest München, 2025 – Official Selection
- Hot Docs, 2025 – World Showcase
- DocsBarcelona, 2025 – Official Selection
- DOXA Documentary Film Festival, 2025 – Official Selection
- Melbourne International Film Festival, 2025 – International Documentary Selection
- Sydney Film Festival, 2025 – Documentary Competition
- Calgary International Film Festival, 2025 – Official Selection