Russian creator behind Oscar-winning documentary gets labelled "foreign agent"

The main protagonist and creator behind an Oscar-winning documentary that cast criticism against changes made to Russia’s education curriculum since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine has been designated a “foreign agent” by Moscow.

Pavel Talankin's name appeared in a statement from the justice ministry’s list of foreign agents on March 27. A Russian court also banned the documentary from several streaming platforms this week, saying it promoted “negative attitudes” toward the government and the war in Ukraine, according to Russian media outlets.

The 35-year-old Russian citizen, who won Best Documentary at the Academy Awards earlier this month alongside US director David Borenstein for their work titled "Mr. Nobody Against Putin", spent two years documenting how the war in Ukraine was presented to students at a Russian school in the Chelyabinsk region, where he worked as a videographer.

Without naming the film, Russian authorities said Talankin had “disseminated inaccurate information” about the country’s leadership and had “spoken out against the special military operation in Ukraine”, Moscow’s official term for the war.

Born and raised in the village of Karabash, Talankin himself attended the same school where he later recorded changes to the curriculum following February 2022. He left Russia in 2024 and managed to smuggle the footage out despite strict border controls.

Individuals labeled as foreign agents in Russia face heavy bureaucratic burdens and restrictions on income. They are also required to mark their social media posts and any published material with the foreign agent designation.

The documentary has sparked debate even among Russians opposed to President Vladimir Putin and the war, with some criticizing Talankin for filming colleagues and children without their consent for his covert project.

Talankin has responded to these criticisms by stating that parents had already given consent for the materials to be used and distributed by the Ministry of Education, from which they were later accessed by third parties. He also defended the film as a historical record, showing how “an entire generation became angry and aggressive”.

In his acceptance speech at the Oscars ceremony on March 15, 2026, Talankin said, “For four years, we look at the sky for shooting stars to make a very important wish, but there are countries where instead of shooting stars, they have shooting bombs and shooting drones”.

“In the name of our future, in the name of all of our children, stop all of these wars now”, he urged.

By Nazrin Sadigova