Film Screening: 'Mr. Nobody Against Putin'

Brattle Theater
40 Brattle St,
Cambridge
Mon., Oct. 26, 2026, 6 – 8:30 p.m.



Pasha Talankin is an unlikely hero – a Russian primary school teacher, known as a mentor and prankster, who offers students a safe haven in his office. After Russia invades Ukraine, Pasha’s role in the school changes dramatically as he is reluctantly drawn into Putin’s propaganda machine. Forced to promote state-sanctioned messages and horrified by the transformation of his community, he struggles with guilt and a sense of powerlessness, leading him to become an international whistleblower. As the school’s videographer, Pasha documents intimate and revealing footage of Putin’s regime, capturing the rise of militarized children’s groups, repressive laws, fervent nationalism, and the recruitment of graduating students to fight in the war. When he learns his own life may be at risk, Pasha is forced to plan a dangerous escape from Russia.

This uniquely collaborative film is as captivating and joyful as it is eye-opening and sobering, showcasing rare footage that reveals the profound impact of Putin’s regime on the lives of everyday Russians.

Gazette Classification: Film, Humanities, Lecture, Social Sciences, Special Events
Organization/Sponsor: This screening is co-sponsored by the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies, the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures and the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School.
Speaker(s): Pavel Talankin , Russian Teacher, Karabash, Russia; Co-director, Cinematographer, and Narrator of "Mr. Nobody Against Putin"
Cost: Free
Ticket Web Link: www.eventbrite.com…
Contact Info: [email protected]
Harvard Key Required: No
More info: daviscenter.fas.harvard.edu…