The 28th Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival concluded with a moment that showcased the city's growing global cultural influence, as its closing film, "Mr Nobody Against Putin" by David Borenstein, later won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature that evening.
The festival's finale took place at the historic Olympion cinema, where audiences watched the film before tuning into a live broadcast of the Oscars ceremony from Los Angeles. Reflecting on the eleven-day event, Artistic Director Orestis Andreadakis described the festival as a space where "people, ideas and stories" come together.
Andreadakis urged audiences to carry forward "the value of reconciliation and memory. Because only then can we truly look towards the future." General Director Elise Jalladeau echoed this sentiment, noting that participants had the privilege "to live for a while inside a world of art, memory and truth, a world where people came together as one."
Although unable to attend in person, Borenstein addressed the Thessaloniki audience via video message from Los Angeles, describing the city as "a truly special place" and emphasising the emotional significance of the screening. "To arrive at this moment now, knowing that all of you are there together in a theatre watching the film, is something deeply moving for us," he said.
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The documentary offers a powerful and intimate portrayal of life in Russia following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. It follows Pavel "Pasha", a teacher in a small town who quietly resists increasing militarisation and propaganda infiltrating the school system. Initially regarded as a supportive and unconventional mentor, Pasha becomes progressively alarmed as new policies compel educators to promote state narratives.
In response, he secretly documents the changes around him, recording hundreds of hours of footage that expose the gradual normalisation of propaganda, the rise of militarised youth groups, and the recruitment of students into the war effort. As the dangers increase, he is ultimately compelled to scheme a dangerous escape from the country.
The film's journey, as Borenstein noted, was uncertain from the very beginning. "There were countless moments during the making of the film when we were convinced the whole effort would collapse," he said, highlighting the difficulties of completing and releasing such a project under restrictive conditions.
