The Ministry of Justice added director Pavel Talankin to the register of “foreign agents”

The film received an Oscar in the category "Best Documentary Film"

The Russian Ministry of Justice has updated the register of foreign agents to include Pavel Talankin , one of the authors of the documentary film “Mr. Nobody vs. Putin,” which won an Oscar in 2026.

The list also included journalist Marina Skorikova, businessman and former contractor of the Vostochny Cosmodrome Vitaly Ginzburg and the Christians Against War project.

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Reasons for including Talankin in the register of “foreign agents”

As stated in the department’s materials, Talankin acted as a respondent on information platforms associated with “foreign agents”, distributed their materials, collaborated with “undesirable organizations” and published false information about the decisions of the Russian authorities. Also, according to the Ministry of Justice, he opposed the war in Ukraine.

Similar grounds are given for other “foreign agents” included in the list on March 27. The agency points to their interaction with “foreign agents” and “undesirable organizations,” the dissemination of false information and opposition to the war.

Film ban and context

The day before Talankin was included in the register of foreign agents, a court in Chelyabinsk banned the screening of the film “Mr. Nobody against Putin” in Russia . The lawsuit was filed by the prosecutor's office, pointing out that the picture expresses a “negative attitude towards state power and the president” after the start of the war in Ukraine.

The film was shot by Talankin together with American director David Borenstein and tells about the events that were held after the start of the war against Ukraine at a school in Karabash, Chelyabinsk region, where Talankin had previously worked as a videographer.

Talankin filmed rulers and other school actions for the necessary reporting. The film shows how, after the start of the war, “Conversations about Important Things” were introduced into schools and how propaganda influences schoolchildren.

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Regulation of “foreign agents”

The concept of “foreign agent” has been in effect in Russian legislation since 2012 and was expanded in 2022. The status can be assigned for “foreign influence”, including without direct funding.

Foreign agents are prohibited from teaching, participating in election commissions, holding public office, investing in strategic enterprises, and running for office. They are required to label their publications and report income.

Since 2025, additional restrictions have been introduced for them: the mandatory use of special accounts for income, fines for labeling violations and the possibility of criminal liability - up to two years in prison for repeated violations. Also approved were changes to an increased personal income tax rate (personal income tax) of 30% and strengthened control over financial transactions.

Previously, “Layout” talked about how the film “ Mr. Nobody vs. Putin ” about propaganda in a Russian school received the prestigious BAFTA award from the British Academy of Film. We also wrote that you can watch the Oscar-winning documentary on major streaming services , or in a pirated version in online cinemas located outside of Russia. To do this you will need a secure VPN .

Photo: Pavel Talankin in Paris at the opening of the ArtDocFest festival, November 17, 2025. Nikita Mouravieff/CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia

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