For the third time in four years, an Oscar for best foreign film went to a production about Eastern Europe, with ‘Mr. Nobody vs. Putin’ highlighting everyday life in Russia.
Eastern European Films Dominate Oscars
For the third time in four years, an Oscar for best foreign film went to a production about Eastern Europe. This is good news. Especially as the further away from Russia, the wider-eyed the audience watches the film “Mr. Nobody vs. Putin,” while Russian viewers see in it just a picture of everyday life.
Previous Winners
For reminder: For 2022, Daniel Roher’s somewhat laudatory “Navalny” received an Oscar, and for 2023 – “20 Days in Mariupol” by Mstyslav Chernov.
The Story of Mr. Nobody
The titular Mr. Nobody is named Pavel Talankin and comes from the mining town of Karabash. It’s a complete hole, a depressive growth on a copper mine. For the local residents, the peak of ambition is to move to Chelyabinsk, which itself has meme city status in Russia.
Talankin works in Karabash as a producer of chronicles in one of the local schools. Against the backdrop of the gray Putinist system officials, who are Russian teachers, he stands out with his unyielding views. Openly expressed, as can be judged by the white-blue-white flag, symbolizing oppositional Russia, which he placed in his room.
