David Borenstein’s ‘Mr. Nobody Against Putin’ took home the Oscar statuette for Best Documentary Feature on Sunday night when the American film awards took place in Los Angeles. It is the first time a Danish documentary has won an Oscar.
Gold went to Helle Faber and Made in Copenhagen’s ‘Mr. Nobody Against Putin’, directed by David Borenstein and co-directed by Pasha Talankin.
Tine Fischer, CEO of the Danish Film Institute, says:
“The fact that an independent producer like Made in Copenhagen can go all the way and win against the world’s biggest streaming giants speaks to the strength and quality of Danish film. The Oscar statuette for ‘Mr. Nobody Against Putin’ also underlines why independent documentary filmmaking is so crucial right now. Huge congratulations to the entire team behind the film. Danish film is in a very special position, with an Oscar winner and totally six Oscar nominations. The fact that many international players look to Denmark when assembling their teams highlights the extraordinary artistic level among Danish film professionals.”
About Mr. Nobody Against Putin
In ‘Mr. Nobody Against Putin’ we follow Pasha, an ordinary teacher in a small Russian town. He is known as the school’s fun, creative, and unconventional adult – someone the students love.
But everyday life at the school changes drastically when Putin introduces propaganda and war instruction into the curriculum following his full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Instead of teaching students to think independently, Pasha is now forced to film and document children reciting meaningless texts and teachers reading incomprehensible slogans to their classes.
In protest – and in secret – Pasha begins smuggling the videos out of Russia. At the same time, he starts filming how propaganda and the war affect the society he lives in.
Pasha’s footage reveals the transformation of Russian society, Putin’s iron grip on the population, and the heartbreaking moments when former students are sent to the front lines. Through Pasha’s personal story, audiences gain a rare, intimate, and contemporary insight into Putin’s Russia. The film is a reminder that courage can take many forms when everything seems lost.
‘Mr. Nobody Against Putin’ is directed by David Borenstein and co-directed by Pasha Talankin. Helle Faber produced the film for Made in Copenhagen with support from the Danish Film Institute. The film is co-produced by Czech company Pink, represented by Alzbeta Karaskova and Radovan Sibrt.
International sales are handled by DR Sales, and PR is handled by Line Bilenberg.
Sentimental Value
Joachim Trier’s Norwegian-Danish film ‘Sentimental Value’ won an Oscars for Best International Feature Film.
Danish editor Olivier Bugge Coutté edited the film. The film includes Danish talent in several key roles: Kasper Tuxen served as cinematographer, Esben Syberg was the VFX supervisor, and Sisse Graum co-produced for Zentropa.
The film is supported by the Danish Film Institute.