Banned Oscar-winning doc ‘Mr. Nobody Against Putin’ gets one-day PH screening

FilDocs brings controversial, Russia-banned film to Manila for July 25 event, citing urgency and relevance to today’s climate.

The Filipino Documentary Society (FilDocs), in partnership with the Film Academy of the Philippines, will hold a one-day screening of the Oscar-winning documentary “Mr. Nobody Against Putin” on July 25 at Sine Pop.

Part of FilDocs’ ongoing “Basta Dokyu” program, the screening brings the internationally acclaimed film to local audiences for a limited run, followed by a talkback session with surprise moderators.

“This FilDocs screening is part of an ongoing series called ‘Basta Dokyu.’ We hold one-day screenings every quarter and show landmark dokyu films,” said Monster Jimenez, one of the organization’s founding members. “We feel that this film is so timely in terms of where we’re at as a country as well.”

The documentary, described by IndieWire as a “unicorn” in the war documentary landscape, tackles themes of conflict and dehumanization through an unexpected lens—balancing gravity with moments of humor and personality.

It has also drawn global attention for its controversial nature. The film was officially banned in Russia, while its protagonist, Russian school teacher Pasha Talankin, was forced into exile following the film’s release.

Jimenez underscored the film’s urgency, citing a powerful message from the director’s Oscars acceptance speech.

“I was really struck by the director’s acceptance speech sa Oscars when he said that while working on the footage, he learned that you lose a country through small little acts of complicity,” she said. “When we don’t say anything when oligarchs take over media and control how we produce and consume it.”

The screening is part of FilDocs’ continued effort to showcase award-winning and socially relevant documentaries to Filipino audiences, encouraging discourse through curated screenings and post-film discussions.

Tickets for the July 25 screening are available through advance registration, with limited slots offered for the one-day event.

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