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Russian Teacher's War Diary "Mr Nobody Against Putin" Wins BAFTA 2026

"Mr Nobody Against Putin" has won the Best Documentary award at the BAFTA 2026 ceremony. The film follows a Russian teacher who covertly documented his school's transformation into a war recruitment center during the Ukraine invasion. Director David Borenstein dedicated the award to the film's subject, Pavel, praising his moral courage. The documentary triumphed over four other nominated non-fiction films.

Key Points: BAFTA 2026: "Mr Nobody Against Putin" Wins Best Documentary

  • Wins BAFTA Best Documentary 2026
  • Chronicles a teacher's secret war footage
  • Explores ethics amid propaganda
  • Director credits subject's courage
  • Beat four other nominated films
2 min read

BAFTA 2026: Russian teacher's war tale in 'Mr Nobody Against Putin' wins Best Documentary honour

A documentary about a Russian teacher's secret filming during the Ukraine war wins the BAFTA for Best Documentary. Director David Borenstein credits the subject's courage.

"Pavel, thank you for showing me that no matter how dark things get, we always have a moral choice. - David Borenstein"

London, February 23

'Mr Nobody Against Putin' has grabbed the Best Documentary Award at the BAFTA 2026. It was written and directed by David Borenstein.

At the 79th edition of BAFTA, the real events of a Russian teacher's life during the Ukraine invasion in Russia earned the praise of the critics and judge panel to clinch the highest honour this documentary could achieve in this event.

The documentary revolved around a Russian teacher who secretly documents his small town school's transformation into a war recruitment centre during the Ukraine invasion, revealing the ethical dilemmas educators face amid propaganda and militarisation.

The lead actor in the film, Pavel Talankin, who recorded the footage during the war, also attended the award ceremony. While accepting the award, director David Borenstein credited Pavel for showing courage in telling his story during one of the toughest times of his life.

"Pavel, thank you for showing me that no matter how dark things get, we always have a moral choice. No matter who you are, there is power in action. we want more Mr Nobodies," said David.

'Mr Nobody Against Putin' was pitted against other non-fiction films including '2000 Meters to Andriivka', 'Apocalypse in the Tropics', 'Cover-Up' and 'The Perfect Neighbor'.

Earlier today, the BAFTA Awards 2026 brought a big surprise for actor Robert Aramayo, who pulled off one of the all-time British Academy Awards upsets when he stunned the room by clinching Best Actor for 'I Swear', beating the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, Timothee Chalamet, Ethan Hawke, Jesse Plemons, and Michael B Jordan.

Emotionally, Aramayo said he never expected the win and shared his disbelief while addressing the audience and fellow nominees. He spoke about how strange it felt to stand alongside actors he had admired for years and said he was still trying to process the moment.

BAFTA 2026 concluded with One Battle After Another dominating the award show with six wins including Best Film and Best Director. It was streamed on Lionsgate Play.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

A
Arjun K
While the documentary's message about moral choice is universal and commendable, I do hope the narrative is balanced. War is complex, and documentaries from one perspective can sometimes miss the full context. Still, congratulations to the team on the BAFTA win.
R
Rohit P
Amazing! Stories of ordinary people standing up against powerful systems are always inspiring. "We want more Mr Nobodies" – what a line! This is the kind of content that needs to be shown in our schools and colleges in India as well. Truth matters.
S
Sarah B
The ethical dilemma for educators is a global issue. In times of conflict or political pressure, how do you teach the next generation? This documentary sounds like a must-watch. Hoping it gets a streaming release in India soon.
V
Vikram M
Heartening to see a documentary winning big at BAFTA. Often these real-life stories have more impact than big-budget films. Also, Robert Aramayo's surprise win is the stuff of dreams! Can't wait to see 'I Swear' now.
K
Kavya N
As a teacher myself, this hits close to home. Our responsibility is to nurture critical thinking and empathy, not propaganda. Salute to that Russian teacher. The world needs to protect its educators. Hope our Indian documentary filmmakers are inspired by this win!

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