A court in Russia has banned the Oscar-winning documentary Mr Nobody Against Putin from several streaming platforms, ruling that it promotes “negative attitudes” toward the government and the war in Ukraine.
The film, which won Best Documentary at the Oscars earlier this month, features secretly recorded footage from a school in the Chelyabinsk region, showing pro-war messaging delivered to students. The material was filmed over two years and later smuggled out of the country.
In its decision, the court said the documentary promoted “terrorism” and undermined the current government, according to independent outlet Sotavision. Authorities also raised concerns about the use of minors in the film without parental consent, following complaints from Russia’s Kremlin-appointed human rights council.
The ruling further objected to the appearance of the “white-blue-white” flag, a symbol used by some anti-war opposition groups, which is banned in Russia as “extremist.” The ban applies to three streaming platforms, marking the first known legal move to restrict access to the film, although unofficial copies remain widely available online.
The documentary centres on Pavel Talankin, a school videographer who later fled Russia in 2024. The decision comes amid broader efforts by Russian authorities to control narratives around the conflict, including changes to school curricula aimed at reinforcing the Kremlin’s position on the war.
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