The Central District Court of Chelyabinsk banned the distribution of the documentary film "Mr. Nobody Against Putin" in Russia, reports LETA, citing Meduza and a journalist from Mediazona from the courtroom.
The prosecutor's office requested to restrict access to the film "in the interests of an indefinite circle of persons" at three addresses — "VK-video," "Yandex.kz," and "Motion Video," reports Mediazona.
The prosecutor's office considered the white-blue-white flag shown in one of the frames as "propaganda of extremism and terrorism," which is regarded as a symbol of the "Freedom of Russia" legion fighting on the side of Ukraine. Additionally, the prosecutor's office stated that "the content of the film is shaped using universal militarization," and it expresses a negative attitude towards the "special military operation," as the war against Ukraine is referred to in Moscow.
Furthermore, the prosecutor's office pointed out that the film shows the faces of minors without parental permission.
The film "Mr. Nobody Against Putin" was made by American director David Borenstein and Russian teacher Pavel Talankin, who worked in one of the remote schools in Russia and documented what was happening there after Russia's renewed invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
On March 16, the film received an Oscar for "Best Documentary Feature."
"Mr. Nobody Against Putin" has generated significant interest and received mixed reviews, including criticism for barely mentioning Ukraine.
