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Pasha Talankin is an unlikely hero—a beloved 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 school and 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.
Directed by David Borenstein and co-directed by Pasha Talankin, this uniquely collaborative film is as captivating and joyful as it is eye-opening and sobering. Mr. Nobody Against Putin showcases rare footage that reveals the profound impact of Putin’s regime on the lives of everyday Russians, particularly its children.
Russian with English Subtitles
Screens with
BC | 2026 | Documentary | 25 min | English, Persian w EST | Alireza Kazemipour
Arguably the most cinematic documentary you will see at Available Light 2026, Iranian screenwriter, Alireza Kazemipour, now based in Vancouver, has crafted a very special portrait. Maryam Salehizadeh, an Iranian-Canadian goalball athlete with only five percent vision, is offered a surgery that could partially restore her sight. As she contemplates the possibility, memories and dreams resurface, challenging her sense of identity and what it truly means to see. In English and Persian with EST. WORLD PREMIERE.
Filmmakers in attendance.
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