Documentary filmed clandestinely arrived in Sunday and won. The goal is to tell everyone what Vladimir Putin does in the doors to keep the population indoctrinated
There is a, but then there is also to take care of who is in, who should continue or learn to believe what they want for the course of the country. For this very reason, the Russian President continues not to neglect internal propaganda, removing any criticisms of what he insists on calling a “special operation” and is about to enter his fourth year.
This is a battle that is not made of weapons, but before ideology, especially to ensure that the vision of Russian society continues to taste what Kremlin wants, which is also done with schools.
This is what happened in the school where Pavel Talankin teaches, at the distant Karabash Secondary School, a small industrial locality in the Ural Mountains that separate European Russia from Asian.
Pavel Talankin, who among his students is known as Pasha, has been confronted since the beginning of the war with military propaganda and an appeal to the militarization of the country. Since the videoographer of that school was long, his superiors ended up asking him to document a new Kremlin directive: shaping a generation to grow in an ultranationalist vision and want to join the army to fight against Ukraine.
Knowing that he would have to obey the orders, but also arguing that the war that takes place in Ukraine has no reason to be, decided to make different from what would be an always filtered and style vision than would please Vladimir Putin. “I knew that this would have to be preserved as a historical record. I soon realized it was material that could not be lost, ”he said in an interview with Observer.
These same records eventually led to the work “Mr. Nobody Against Putin ”, which, freely translated, gives anything like, a documentary that debuted in January at, and that won the prize awarded by the jury for special documentary cinema.
Pulling the tape of the movie in the story, behind, Pavel Talankin began to get the idea of the film in the early days of war, which began on February 24, 2022. He eventually reached the American David Borenstein, who helped him in the project And ended up doing it in partnership.
Under the orders of what the school was telling him, always in a propagandistic logic, Pasha began a secret and highly risky mission to document the way Vladimir Putin’s war message passes at home. In a country where independent journalism almost does not exist – publications such as The Moscow Times or the squint were immediately banned after the war – the teacher understood that he had a privileged place to tell a story that no one could tell.
“Any journalist trying to film what was happening in schools was detained immediately. I was placed before a unique situation. The Russian Ministry of Education immediately sent orders for certain classes to be filmed, I went there and filmed, ”recalls the professor.
In the documentary, Pavel Talankin shows how children are ordered to march with the Russian flag, read completely renewed history books that advocate the invasion of Ukraine and even compete in grenade launch tournaments.
All of these advertising exercises are supervised by war veterans visits or even when filming, by Wagner group mercenaries. Go there to preach the “patriotic values” of a Russia in the image of Vladimir Putin. A Russia that you need to present to the children.
“Schools are often the first places where advertising spreads. Fascism can be rooted in the easiest forms – starting in schools with children, ”reiterated Pasha.
Moreover, and giving reason to what the teacher says, Vladimir Putin himself admitted that a militarization of schools is underway: “Wars are not won by commanders, but by teachers,” he said.
Among the various teachers who appear in the film there are differences in the implementation of what is requested. Abdulmanov, for example, is a teacher of history and confessed supporter of Vladimir Putin, also does not idolize Josef Staline, the most famous leader of the Soviet Union, who was responsible for the death of millions of Russians.
But there are also those who resist, even in their own way. “Many teachers do not want to do this, but they are trapped,” said Pavel Talankin.
“People study to be teachers and dream of educating children, then forced to spread propaganda,” said Pasha, who speaks of Karabash’s reality, where job opportunities are scarce and, for many, especially teachers , there is no great choice but to follow the doctrine.
On the effects of Vladimir Putin’s propaganda, Pavel Talankin has no doubt: “For younger children, all the teachers say is true. The long -term impact of military propaganda will be felt. ”
As for older students, such as those who attend the school where they were Pasha, they are often more skeptical, even though most end up giving in to advertising. Moreover, that’s what happened to many of this teacher’s friends, who saw several people go to the war, many to go back in coffins.
With the movie in progress and the ever-present anti-war posture, Pavel Talankin eventually had no choice but to escape. He did so in June 2024 not to mention anyone, not even his mother, taking seven hard filming records that have now become an award-winning work.
Since the release of the documentary that in Pasha’s homeland the reactions have been mixed. “Still now I received a support message from someone at home. But before that, I received a series of threats, long voice messages calling me, traitor of the homeland, ”he said.
“I want as many people as possible to see this in Russia. Not just karabash, but everywhere. For their own good, ”he said.
