BAFTA 2026: 'Mr Nobody Against Putin' wins Best Documentary
What's the story
The documentary Mr Nobody Against Putin, directed by David Borenstein, has won the Best Documentary award at BAFTA 2026. The film tells the true story of a Russian teacher who covertly captures his small-town school's transformation into a war recruitment center during Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It explores the moral dilemmas faced by educators amid propaganda and militarization. This documentary won against Indian-American director Geeta Gandbhir's Netflix crime documentary, The Perfect Neighbor, among others.
Award details
'Mr Nobody Against Putin' beat out strong contenders
The documentary beat out other non-fiction films such as 2000 Meters to Andriivka, Apocalypse in the Tropics, Cover-Up, and The Perfect Neighbor. Pavel Talankin, who recorded the footage during the war, was also present at the award ceremony. Borenstein thanked Talankin for his bravery in sharing his story during such a difficult period of his life.
Other winners
Robert Aramayo wins Best Actor; 'One Battle After Another' dominates
The BAFTA 2026 also saw a major upset with actor Robert Aramayo winning Best Actor for I Swear. He beat out heavyweights like Leonardo DiCaprio, Timothee Chalamet, Ethan Hawke, Jesse Plemons, and Michael B Jordan. Meanwhile, One Battle After Another was the biggest winner of the night with six awards, including Best Film and Best Director. Boong from India won Best Children's and Family Film.