Mr. Nobody Against Putin (2025) Movie Script
1
P, it's time to talk
about your departure.
Before you cross the border, you must
delete our secure messaging app.
Yeah.
You need to be very careful about how you
take your footage past border control.
Just be calm.
You have a return ticket. They'll think
you are returning in 7 days.
Just believe in yourself.
I think what you've done
is going to make a big impact.
[Sun up high, bright blue sky]
[that was the little boy's picture]
[He drew it on a piece of paper]
[and wrote in the corner]
[may there always be sunshine]
[may there always be a sky]
Hello. This is me.
In this moment I have no idea the amount
of trouble I'm about to cause for myself.
- Good day, students.
- Pasha, this is not the best time.
I am the event coordinator
at Karabash Primary School #1.
First...
I am also the school videographer.
Together with a group of students,
I shoot all major events in the school.
My place of employment is
the biggest school
in what is a very small town.
The population here is only 10,000.
The town is nestled deep
in the Ural mountain region.
This is Russia's industrial heartland.
Life here revolves around
the copper smelting plant.
In fact, we are
world famous because of this plant.
People come from everywhere
to see the town
that UNESCO once called
the most toxic place on Earth.
The most polluted town in Ural, with
an average life expectancy of 38 years.
It's so like post-apocalyptic here.
There's random stinking gasses.
It's the most depressing place I've
ever been. The air... Oh, man, it stinks.
There's a high rate of mortality
from cancer, lung diseases
and other diseases. Wow.
Welcome to Karabash.
That's the way the world
sees my hometown.
But the reality is
that it's not so bad here.
And as the event coordinator
at the school,
I can make sure the kids always
have something to look forward to.
There is cake for everyone.
What I like about my job is being
able to be there for my students.
Helping them open their minds.
Express themselves.
And just giving them the space
to be kids.
[Even though it's far from great!]
[But I try my best on my guitar...]
Although sometimes I mess everything up.
I hope the kids forgive me
for not bringing an extra battery
for their music video shoot.
As a graduate of this school myself,
I'm fond of this place.
And I hope the people here
like me too.
- Do you want some cabbage soup?
- No, thanks.
Your cabbage soup is not very good.
The best soup is from
the "Sushi-Pizza" restaurant.
Get out of here!
You and your sushi-pizza.
But I also have my ways
of winning people over.
Good morning.
I would like some flowers.
Hi, Miss Librarian!
A present? I knew it!
I brought you flowers.
Happy birthday, Mom.
This is my mom. I love her
very much but I've never told her.
Let the flowers speak for me.
- You are filming this?
- Yes.
It was in February of 2022
when my job
was to change drastically.
This is the news
on the First Channel.
According to Vladimir Putin, Russia will
conduct a special military operation.
With the consent
of the Russian Federation Council
and in accordance with the ratified
agreement of February 22, 2022
regarding friendship and mutual aid
with Donetsk People's Republic
and Luhansk People's Republic
I decided to conduct
a special military operation.
NEW FEDERAL
PATRIOTIC EDUCATION POLICY
Hello?
Are there special orders? I don't
understand what's happening at all.
We need to get the kids to recite
some patriotic songs and speeches.
You need to film it.
We also need to film the children
reciting poems about our victory.
- Are we completely fucked up?
- It just came from above.
Damn.
How do we actually do this?
- No idea.
- OK.
Fuck! It hurts!
OK, see you.
Fuck!
Present the flag.
A new patriotic curriculum supporting the
war will now be introduced in our school.
Lessons, songs, morning drills...
I was instructed to shoot
all the events...
Place the flag.
...as proof that the school is
complying with government orders.
During the first days, I darted
from one classroom to the next
recording scripted lesson
after scripted lesson.
The workload was so huge,
I had to ask for assistance in filming.
State policy in Ukraine is decided
by radicals, nationalists, and...
...neo-Nazis. Everything that unites
us have been brought under attack.
In February 2022, he took part in
a special operation for demil...
Demilitarization.
For demilitarization and denazification
of Ukraine as a part of...
- Let's repeat it.
- Do I start from the beginning or?
No, only from these words,
starting from "he took part in"...
In February 2022, he took part in
a special operation for demilitar...
Just say "denazification".
Some were struggling with
the new words of the curriculum.
Others, like Abdulmanov here,
delivered the lessons with
the passion of a true believer.
The next point is the economy.
The economic component
of hybrid warfare.
These are the sanctions
against our country.
You already know
that Europe, not Russia, is suffering
the most from these sanctions now.
Without energy, that is,
without our gas, oil and so on.
In France,
to fill the tank with petrol,
you need more than 150 euros.
So the French will soon
be like musketeers,
riding horses,
and the rest of Europe too.
There are
no local agricultural products
in Europe
or in most other countries.
That is, no wheat, oils,
and so on.
Well, again, in France, OK, they're
used to eating oysters and frogs.
They will last for some time,
but what about the others, like England?
England, you remember,
is a tiny island.
They killed their own people
during World War II.
In the USA, there are
demonstrations supporting Russia.
As I said, we could destroy Ukraine
in a couple of days.
Thank you.
Few of us were prepared for such
an intervention in our freedom to teach.
The hours when I used
to focus on the kids
are now spent uploading these videos
onto some mysterious government database.
This is my home.
It's a 2-bedroom in the city center.
Here, I have 427 books.
All carefully arranged in color order.
A pet parrot.
A dog named Nebraska.
And lots of memories...
As a young student, I knew I
was different from the other boys
even if I had no idea why.
Maybe this is why
I was always alone.
I was also lonely at home.
When I was 9,
my father drowned in a lake
leaving my mother to raise
me and my siblings on her own.
Here at the school,
I can create my own family.
What I've tried to create
in my office is simple.
Exactly the kind of place that
I wish existed when I was a student.
This office here
is a pillar of democracy
in our entire non-democratic world.
Students can always come in here.
Even if it's closed,
one can unlock it with almost any key.
Go ahead, film the flag.
No, it won't fall out.
What Evgenia Vladimirovna
will tell you, she is forced to say.
Were you forced?
Blink twice if you were forced.
- We need to save Evgenia Vladimirovna.
- Let me just adjust the balance.
All of us together must help
each other and our army
with understanding, support, and mindful
attitude towards everything that happens.
Every day,
there were new mandatory lessons.
It felt like us teachers were
being forced to fight this war too.
How many of you already know about
the Crimean spring? Yes, Alexander?
- Crimea joined Russia.
- So, Crimea joined Russia, then?
Crimea left Russia...
Oh, left Ukraine and joined Russia.
How smart you are, you all know.
Why did the Crimean people
want to join Russia?
Because the Ukrainians didn't
give money for infrastructure,
so they decided to join us.
Those who wear the floral crowns,
please wave to the camera.
And a wide smile.
I'm exhausted from
all the extra propaganda work.
Then I see a post from
a Russian web content company.
"Casting call. Has your job been affected
by the special military operation?"
I surprise myself by sending them
an overly long email:
"I'm writing to you because I think I
would be a good candidate for your show."
"I am a teacher forced to do the exact
opposite of what a teacher should do."
"Using my own resources
as school videographer,
I have already been
documenting things here."
"I await your reply."
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday.
The students who pass through
my office become family.
Like this group of graduates
from last year.
But I'm worried for them.
One, two, three.
Karabash!
- I don't have time to study.
- I am in danger of flunking, too.
If you flunk out,
you might end up dead in Ukraine.
They're making my sister
in first grade learn war poems.
They make her learn those too.
I asked, "Why are you learning this?"
She says, "I was told to do it
to support the army."
- Not like she knows what war is.
- No, they don't need to know what it is.
I got you a McDonald's t-shirt!
Brand merch, my gift to Nikita.
[A slow dance to make you cry]
[Even though they all sound the same]
Mom, do you know
what's happening?
Like, what they have to learn
in the 11th grade?
Heroes of the special military operation!
So what? There are boys at war.
Young boys.
It's only natural for boys
to go to war!
- I don't like that kind of nature.
- You're different.
Our country wants a lot of things.
There is no need to start a war for this.
I understand you perfectly.
One idiot decides to do this,
and the whole world is now afraid.
Idiot.
It would have been better if he just
sat at his desk and did nothing!
I am sorry, but people love war.
They want to shoot each other.
It's always been like that. And our
people were in all the battles. Always.
People love to shoot each other.
Turn on your brain sometimes.
It's useful.
Take some sweets, son.
Beautiful.
Somewhere along the line,
I get sick of having no one to talk to.
So I start talking to my own camera.
It's a very unpleasant feeling.
It's like you are in a room
and all walls are closing in on you.
The air is running out.
And you are so aware that
you cannot change anything.
That you remain trapped in this system.
I love my job, but I don't want
to be a pawn of the regime.
I'm resigning my position as event
coordinator at Karabash Primary School.
Whatever repercussions come of this,
so be it.
Even a guy like me
should have some principles.
I walk into the administration and
submit the resignation letter.
By June, I am done here.
Sometimes I get asked to
film things outside of school.
And today
I'm filming a pro-war rally.
I feel like for now
I must play along.
Come stand with us.
Right here.
WE DON'T ABANDON OUR PEOPLE
I feel like I'm an alien in my own town.
But of course, it's not just here.
Around the country,
the drums of war beat wildly.
If we need to turn Kyiv into ruins
and put our flag on top of these ruins
then this must be done.
The rally in Karabash is just part of
a larger national information war.
This operation is about revenge.
We strike precisely for revenge.
This is a manifestation
of our hate, a totally holy hate.
We shouldn't kill them out of hate.
We must kill them out of love,
love for our children.
[Ah, Mother Russia]
[Our nuclear missiles]
[are ready for battle]
[Trust us, grandmother,]
[with the red banner!]
No to the war! No to the war!
Of course there were the anti-war
protestors in some larger cities.
Stop the war! No to the war!
Media personnel, step aside.
I wish I could be as brave as them.
But I'm not.
And this goes for everyone
in this town.
- Is there anyone against the war?
- No, we do not know anyone.
Among our social circle,
there are none of that kind.
They won't even dare to be "against".
After the rally, I see what
the town has done with my footage.
It's a multimedia exhibit
at the town library.
I look into the eyes of the kids
watching my creation.
I am these kids' propagandist.
Luckily I brought my universal remote,
so I could turn off the bullshit.
All of a sudden,
I received the strangest message ever.
The Instagram post
I randomly responded to has paid off.
And now...
"Dear Pasha, I am from Europe
working in documentary films."
"Your contact information was
given to me by a friend in Russia."
"I want to talk about your idea
to film a story about how
the war is affecting your school."
When I sent that pitch, I knew no one
in Russia could legally cover this story.
But now a foreigner enters the scene
offering support.
I spend all night
thinking about his offer
to help show my material to the world.
Let's do this.
My job already involves filming
everything around the school.
It's the perfect cover.
Why resign my position when it's
the perfect way to make a film here?
I go to the school administration
and take back my resignation.
Now I'm not only
a school videographer.
Now, I'm a film director.
And I'll use my camera to film
the abyss this school is sinking into.
But where to start?
Attention!
Present the flag.
The new mandatory anthem ceremony
is overseen by Pavel Abdulmanov...
...representative of the ruling party
in our institution.
Now that's interesting.
Why history?
I think that the history of Russia is one
of the most important social sciences.
I agree with the saying
that people
who have forgotten their history
do not have a future.
Which famous historical figure
do you most admire?
I think some of the Soviet officials
from the Soviet era.
Lavrentiy Beria.
Lavrentiy Beria,
leader of Stalin's secret police.
Father of the Gulag system.
He was so enthusiastic about
the beating of political prisoners
that he would often join
in the torture himself during his purges.
Maybe Abakumov.
Viktor Abakumov, Stalin's spy hunter.
Famous for killing countless enemy spies,
almost none of which were actually spies.
Definitely Pavel Sudoplatov.
Pavel Sudoplatov. Notable for eliminating
Stalin's enemies in creative ways
such as an ice pick
straight through Leon Trotsky's head.
And a bomb disguised
as a box of chocolates
delivered to a prominent
Ukrainian independence fighter.
- Why are these guys your heroes?
- I think they had interesting jobs.
How will your students remember you?
As a fun person, I hope.
It's so crucial to eliminate
dissenting views
so there is no political split
in our country.
You love your motherland
out of obligation.
Like how you love your mother.
You love her just because
she's your mother.
You love your motherland just
because it is your motherland.
If you were born in this country and
don't believe we're doing the right thing
then leave. Go to the country
that you think is better.
If you live in our country and don't
love it, then you're a parasite. Leave.
I can understand Abdulmanov
from one side...
...because he is brainwashed.
He is so certain that he is correct.
But I worry about...
...the kids sitting in front of him.
They haven't yet learned
how they should live their lives.
They can't make these decisions yet.
I might love Russia much more
than the regime supporters do.
I love when you can open
your balcony door wide open
to get all the fresh air in.
I love when it gets so cold,
it's almost -45 degrees,
and you can only run
from one place to another
with a completely red face
and a white ice moustache.
I love autumn.
I love everything.
I love the people.
Love for your country
is not about putting up a flag.
It is not about singing
the anthem either.
It's not about exploitation
and propaganda.
Love for your country means saying,
"We have a problem."
What are you filming?
- A film.
- For what?
BBC.
Ah, well film then.
It's not just my current students
who face new challenges.
Many of my former students
are at the age for military service.
This is a long-standing tradition
but now it has
much darker implications.
This is Vanya. Even after his graduation,
he still often comes to my office.
I just came in and these little guys
who used to run and trip
over my knees
now they are taller than me, in their
graduation costumes. I am in shock.
Why does time fly so fast?
Vanya now works at the liquor store
as he figures out his next step.
Maybe I'll move to Chelyabinsk. I am
not sure what to do with my life yet.
- Do you have connections there?
- No, who the fuck needs me?
You'd better not join the army
out of desperation.
- I wanted to.
- Did you? Still or not anymore?
I wanted to sign a contract.
It is necessary to support
the proposal of the Ministry of Defense
and the General Staff to hold a partial
military mobilization in Russia.
The decree on partial mobilization
has been signed.
Just like that,
everything was about to change again.
Keep it even in the back.
Across the country,
regular men were called up for duty.
Now almost all men will live under
the constant threat of being sent to war.
Perhaps it was inevitable
that the realities of war would find
their way into my little office.
I had the same attitude
as my mother in the beginning.
I could care less about the war, as
long as it doesn't bother me personally.
This is Masha. A constant presence
in my office over the past years.
- I want to go to medical school.
- You still need to get in.
- What if you don't get in?
- Well, damn then.
Masha! When did you stop believing
in Santa Claus?
- I still believe in Santa Claus.
- What did you ask him for?
Happiness.
My brother is chilling in a base
in some city in Russia
waiting to be sent back to Ukraine.
He went to Ukraine for 10 days
and was sent back to the base.
Some men stay there
for 2-3 weeks.
- He was drafted?
- Yes.
- He has a duty.
- What is his salary?
He just got
about 1200 euro for a month.
They have really scary guns.
- Are they broken?
- No, his are all good.
He carries four grenades
on one side.
And four grenades on the other.
As rough as it was to see
Masha's brother go off to war
it wasn't any easier to see
my own students get drafted.
What was your first thought when
you were drafted into the army?
That this farewell party
would be expensive for me.
- Do you really want to join the army?
- I was conscripted. They sent for me.
Which troops
would you most like to join?
Putin's.
I'd like to serve in the Kremlin.
- Should you shave?
- Are you going to shave me?
I think Vanya needs a shave.
Let's shave little Vanya.
- Leave enough room for everyone.
- Yes, he has a lot of hair.
- Yes, he still has it.
- On the second round.
Do you know what this hairstyle
is called? Landing strip. For pilots.
It's run out of power.
Put it on the charger.
- Say "Ivan". One, two, three.
- Ivan!
- Say "army". One, two, three.
- Army!
- Pasha, put down the camera and come.
- Let me do a little too.
You decided to sign up on your own?
- They sent for me.
- Why didn't you call me?
It happened so fast, I didn't
understand what was going on.
Ah, we need to charge it more.
OK, so let it charge.
In my office
I've witnessed these friendships bloom.
But it's all so fragile.
- What a son you have raised.
- Dammit, I'm crying.
Vanya!
Fuck, I'm crying.
Goddammit, Vanya.
I know, Vanya, you are my friend,
you are my friend, you are my brother.
You understand? Not by blood,
but by soul. Understand?
If you were a stupid, bad guy, I would
have cut you off. I love you for real.
I see the real you.
For real.
You're leaving for a year...
It's fucked up.
I haven't slept since
Vanya's going away party.
Maybe I'm too anxious
to ever sleep again.
To see my students
so directly get drawn into this war
gave me an uncontrollable urge
to lash out.
And so, when setting up the sound system
for the daily anthem ceremony, I acted.
The US national anthem
as performed by Lady Gaga.
What could be more treasonous?
Pasha, stop it immediately.
- Why?
- Do you want to go to prison?
- You have lots of enemies at the school.
- So what?
President Vladimir Putin
signed a law
on life imprisonment
for government treason.
We must suppress activities of
foreign secret services and identify
traitors, spies and saboteurs.
In April 2023, the state released
updated laws concerning "treason".
25 years in prison.
That's the verdict for journalist
and activist Vladimir Kara-Murza.
He was found guilty of treason,
discrediting the army, and
leading an "undesirable organization."
There is something called
"traitor of the motherland".
Just imagine this.
You are a citizen of your country
and then there is a person
who betrays your country.
He is just a scumbag.
Obviously, I am constantly walking
around the town with the camera.
At first it felt safe
and even interesting.
It was like a game.
But then...
It became harder as the political
atmosphere was heating up.
People start taking notice
if the camera is present.
They get pretty worried.
Start whispering.
It seems like...
...in a second, trust was lost.
Please be seated.
True or false: an effective way
of fighting modern warfare
is to use foreign agents.
True.
The enemy is trying to recruit people
from local communities
to spread propaganda
and confusion.
That's the truth.
We must support each other.
They will attempt to defeat us
from the inside
by dividing us.
So it's important that
we unite and support each other.
These kind of lessons would be
unimaginable when I was a student here.
In those days an open environment
made it possible for someone
like me to be free in this school.
But since last year, there is
no more freedom to be found here.
And starting from today,
it's official.
Dear teachers, students,
and visitors!
We're here to witness an event
of historical magnitude.
Russian President Vladimir Putin
has supported the idea
of the creation of an
all-Russian movement for children.
For the first time in Russian history,
a president will personally chair
the board of the children's movement.
I greet all the participants of the first
meeting of the children's movement.
Here in Moscow, we meet bright and
creative kids from all over the country.
This includes kids
from our new regions.
Putin announced
this new organization
on the 100-year anniversary
of the Soviet Pioneers.
In the high Soviet era,
the pioneers prepared youth to fight
the future battles of communism.
Putin is bringing back this
all-encompassing propaganda organization.
But not for communism.
No, this movement is loyal
only to him and his aims.
- Patriot!
- Our motto!
We only move forward,
since we're the Patriot team!
We're brave and agile,
and ready to do anything to win.
Go sit down over there. Move
the chairs there, and sit down in pairs.
- Did I put my hat on the right way?
- Yes.
Putin's new youth movement mandates
new types of propaganda lessons.
Now, there are not just prepared lines
for the teachers.
Now, even the students are reading
from scripts.
Kids, please hide
your scripts under the tables.
Tell me another of
the most heroic Soviet cities.
- Kyiv!
- Which one?
- Kyiv.
- It's correct.
Someone wants to tell me
a little bit about it? Yura, please.
Kyiv is one of our first cities fighting
the enemy during the Great Patriotic War.
On June 6, 1941,
facing perilous attack
from German fascist troops
our military headquarters
was established in Kyiv.
The 72-day defense of
the Ukrainian capital thus began
lasting until September 19, 1941.
- This city received its first award...
- Look at the teacher, not me.
This city received its first award...
What do Putin's lessons
seek to teach us?
It's obvious on Victory Day, the holiest
day of the year for the Russian state.
Marching together, we hold pictures of
relatives who perished in World War II.
We begin the ceremony
of laying a garland
in recognition of the heroism
of Soviet soldiers.
A wreath is placed on behalf of the
copper mining conglomerate Karabash-med.
The message to the kids isn't subtle.
"Maybe one day
you can be a dead soldier too."
Our people, just like in the years of
the Great Patriotic War, must unite
in order to defeat the enemy.
I'm very happy to see so many children
and young people here at the parade.
I encourage you, patriots.
You, young people, will have to carry
the banner of absolute victory over evil.
[Come on, let's live,]
[let's live]
[Sharing the minutes]
[of joy and happiness together]
[And valuing every hour,]
[every moment that we have]
[Oh, our life, oh, our life]
[is like a song]
Ah, I get it now.
Hi, Masha.
How have you been?
Are you OK?
Wait, I am filming you
taking the picture.
Your brother.
- Are you going to show it to your mom?
- Yes, they put it in the classroom.
Do you feel happy that the teachers put
the photo of your brother on the wall?
- Well, I am not happy he is at war.
- Understandable.
As part of the
state-mandated propaganda
students here are often given graded
assignments to write letters to soldiers.
But sometimes these tasks can be
redirected towards our own ends.
They can be a good way
to vent suppressed feelings.
Masha, did you show your mother
the letter you wrote to a soldier?
- She said it was a sad letter.
- What letter is this?
To a soldier.
She said
I was good at describing things.
Did you write to a random soldier
or to your brother?
I wrote to a soldier about my brother.
"Dear soldier, I hope you are well,
dressed, healthy and full."
"I understand this is not easy neither
for you nor for your family and friends."
"But just do anything to come back home.
It's not easy for me either, honestly."
"My brother is on the battlefield now,
and we're all very worried for him."
"On February 3, 2023,
he told us he was OK."
"He said he was not hungry
nor was he missing us."
That he was missing us, I mean.
"I am writing this to tell you
please do not forget to call people
who are worried about you."
Forward march, go!
When did we start marching
in the hallways?
Is Severus Snape
our new headmaster?
[White snow, gray ice!]
[On the cracked earth!]
[Covered by a patchwork quilt!]
[There is a city in the bend of the road!]
[And clouds are floating above the sky!]
[Quenching the heavenly light!]
Proceed to the next step.
Yes, sir.
Don't turn with your shoulder.
- You are walking too fast.
- At ease.
Marching steps. And march.
14 students from 6th grade
are receiving failing grades.
And 34 students from 7th grade.
133 grades are missing.
I think the teachers
are inflating the grades.
Pavel Abdulmanov, academic performance
in your class has dropped 7%.
Back to the problem of kids failing.
This is a very serious issue.
This is not only happening in our school.
There are a lot of questions.
We need to find out why this is happening
and what can be done about it.
Maybe the reason
they are failing is all the bullshit.
You have to prepare all the patriotic
lessons, all the special courses.
The new youth organizations that
they shove down your throat.
It's true. How are we supposed
to do this all at once?
"Go Russia, hurray for nuclear weapons,"
that's all we have here now.
What if we could just take out
all the extra activities
and just focus on educating kids.
Why can't we just try it?
- How in the world can we do that?
- I would get fired!
- I'd also get fired as principal.
- It has to come from above.
It's like walking a tight rope.
When you feel like you are nothing
but a propagandist
and you feel like
it's going to consume all of you
you need to even it out
and act out.
My stomach is aching.
I might be a self-destructive person.
But I can't look at one more pro-war
Z symbol on these windows.
So I take them down
and put up X's instead.
A symbol online in support
of Ukrainian refugees.
No, Pasha, don't do this.
We are all adults here, after all.
Everyone is having a hard time.
That's correct,
everyone is having a hard time.
Pasha, you have to listen
to other people too.
That's it, thank you,
it's great that we heard each other out.
Karabash is a small city,
where everybody knows each other.
Word starts spreading about
my open opposition to the regime
and in Russia, you never know
what kind of danger you might face.
I go to the town award ceremony
feeling anxious but also a bit hopeful.
Here, an award is given to the local
teacher who is most loved by students.
The prize is a new deluxe apartment,
right here in Karabash.
Good afternoon.
Hello, dear guests.
The award is for someone kind,
someone understanding.
Someone who creates a space for students
where they feel comfortable.
We are starting the ceremony for
"favorite teacher" award.
The winner is
Pavel Shaihovich Abdulmanov!
The history and social science teacher
from Karabash Primary School.
Students and parents value him for his
kindness, his way of explaining things,
his creative approach to teaching,
and for his understanding of students.
"Abdulmanov teaches us
how to be smart."
I'm overwhelmed with emotions,
even if you don't see it on my face.
Sometimes I feel like I'm the guy
everyone wants to tear apart.
But it turns out
they really love me.
As a teacher
I feel more and more useless.
It's now time for
the mercenaries to teach.
Don't film too much here.
Wagner mercenaries, to be precise.
Wagner.
This mine is called a petal.
It's being thrown out from airplanes.
If it's a field or open space,
you would never see it.
It's very hard to see it in bushes
or anywhere else.
If you see this mine,
walk around it.
If you ever see it anywhere,
never come close to it or touch it.
There is liquid inside
that blows up instantly.
It will take your whole leg off
in a second.
The most important thing,
if you end up in a crossfire is
never clasp your helmet!
It will break your neck
if you get shot in the head.
Move a little bit closer together.
OK, thank you.
Our schedules are packed
with military related events.
Marching practice, shooting drills,
grenade throwing competitions.
The 2nd place for "Grenade Throwing,
Age Category 15-16 Years"
is awarded to Bidal Gabitov.
The 1st place award
goes to Seymon Chuykin.
We've never had a demand
for teachers as we do now.
Teachers play pivotal roles when
countries are at turning points.
Commanders don't win wars.
Teachers win wars.
You can see these models of small arms
used during the Great Patriotic War.
And here's our last exhibit,
the Degtyaryov machine gun.
It has the same cartridge as the Mosin
and the SVT. It holds 75 bullets.
- Is everything good in school?
- No, there's nothing good there.
Good day!
Happy birthday!
Help me with the flowers.
And a present for you as well.
Good.
Maybe I will stop by
your place tonight.
Forget it.
Today's training
will help students develop
the morale required for military service.
Pasha, my brother Kostya called crying
yesterday about huge losses over there.
Actually crying?
He recorded a voice message
on WhatsApp.
He told the whole family
that he is alive and OK.
But also he talked about huge losses and
his voice started trembling by the end...
- Can't he leave?
- He wants to really bad.
Is there any way
he can officially leave this war?
I don't think so,
it's not like they give vacation time.
- Is he on contract or mobilized?
- Mobilized.
He can't say "demobilize" me?
It doesn't work that way,
no one is going to let him go.
It's horrifying,
I am scared.
The war has become
Europe's bloodiest since WW2.
By the summer of 2024,
Putin's strategy was to throw soldiers
at the Ukrainian frontlines.
Russia slowly made territorial gains,
a few square kilometers here and there,
costing 1000 soldiers' lives every day.
Yet there is no shortage
of conscripts from Karabash.
The kids have been taught well
by their teachers.
It feels like yesterday
I filmed Nikita getting
a McDonald's shirt for his birthday.
Nikita! What can I say, you're starting
a new chapter in your life.
You are becoming more manly.
I am wishing you endurance, happiness
and health, that's the most important.
If you ever have any problems,
your friends will always have your back.
Pull the trigger, take position,
the correct one, then shoot 4 times.
"I will see you when you get back."
"See you in a year."
But some guys will never come home.
Artyom was my friend
from my own graduation class.
He's one of many who lost their lives,
and whose deaths were
covered up by the state.
The death numbers of this war are highly
sensitive information for the regime.
Filming Russian soldiers' funerals
is too risky.
But I think it's important
so I recorded the sound.
Attention please.
On the 30th of April, Russian Citizen
Artyom Volkov died.
During the liberation of Artyomovsk
of the Donetsk People's Republic.
Artyom!
Artyom!
My sweet boy!
No, no, no.
Zhenya, hold mom.
Why didn't you let me
come close to him?
My little Artyom!
I know the situation here is incomparable
to what's happening in Ukraine.
But there are more and more people
suffering here because of the war.
And there is nowhere in school
where the trauma doesn't reach.
The kindest boy, Igor,
who lost his father.
Kristina from school security
who lost her boyfriend.
And so many brothers in harm's way.
Masha's brother Kostya was deployed
to Ukraine during the mobilization.
He recently defected from the army
only to be captured and brought back
to Ukraine.
A few weeks later,
his family got a call that he was dead.
- Do you miss him?
- Of course, everybody does.
We never ended up having
a good talk about her brother.
In some ways
that's what hurt me the most.
Masha was always seeking
a place to be free.
To unload her feelings
without fear or prejudice.
But I have to admit
it feels like something has changed.
More and more, students
have started to fear my classroom.
They don't wish to be seen with
the guy who hangs the democracy flags.
And so they don't come.
But perhaps
the students are smart to avoid me.
One day a police car
appears outside my window.
In a small town like Karabash,
this is suspicious.
I hide my hard drives and passwords
in case something happens.
Here... is where they're hidden.
I want people in Russia
and my hometown
to see the material
I recorded.
For all that was said and done
in this film,
surely I will get beaten or put in jail.
If we were a free country
with the freedom to say
what needs to be said...
...I wouldn't need to leave Russia.
It's...
This departure...
It's...
It's...
- How is your brother Vanya doing?
- He is OK.
- Does he call you? Is he still there?
- Yes. He has become a captain.
- Oh, a captain!
- Yes.
I go to the library
for a sort of farewell.
Let me film you repairing the books.
They're all torn.
Tell me what you're doing.
Affixing the cover.
Who in the world knows
that you fix these books?
Do you tell the kids about it?
I'm bringing a plant...
...to your house.
If it dies, OK.
But if it lives I'll be really happy.
- OK?
- OK.
- What do you think?
- What can I think?
I think she senses
that I am leaving
but not that it will be forever.
It's impossible to say the words
to someone you love so much.
I love...
...almost everything about this place.
I love the gray soviet buildings.
I love the maze of pipes coming
from the copper plant.
Pipes, pipes, pipes...
I love the stains on
the sides of the buildings.
I love thunder and storms.
P, it's time to talk
about your departure.
Before you cross the border, you
must delete our secure messaging app.
Be careful about how you take your
footage past border control. Just be calm.
You have a return ticket. They'll think
you are returning in 7 days.
I think what you've done
is going to make a big impact.
One last task before I leave.
This year
for our graduation ceremony,
a young tree is to be dug up
and planted at school.
A symbol of new beginnings.
Today, I am the event coordinator
at Karabash Primary School
and it's my responsibility to organize
the graduation ceremony.
The diplomas were printed.
The speeches were written.
I did these tasks
to the best of my abilities.
Make your destiny with your own hands.
Go against the wind. Don't stand still.
There is no simple way.
Dear friends!
Dear graduates,
parents,
and teachers!
In a very short while
your children, your students,
your brothers and sisters,
your closest people,
your family
will hear their school bell
for the last time.
And this will signify the beginning
of real adult life for them.
I'd like to take this opportunity,
my dear friends,
to say how great it is to be able
to actually call you my dear friends.
Wherever your life takes you,
I wish you
solid ground
under your feet.
Yes, there'll be turns.
Yes, there'll be ups and downs.
Yes, there'll be crossroads and turning
points, you'll have to choose.
Sometimes to do the right thing...
And sometimes
to express your love,
you must sacrifice everything.
But I know that your choice
will come from your heart.
I love you very much.
Thank you so much
for working with me
throughout these years.
I love you very much.
The time for the last bell has come.
We were all united by a deep recognition
of what we were leaving behind.
And utter blindness towards
what the next steps actually mean.
It can't be here,
why am I even searching?
Thank you for giving us
your warmth and support.
You supported us during the
hard times and were always here for us.
This is my passport.
Holy shit!
We all held each other once more,
dancing in the most toxic town on earth.
And you could almost smell
the clean Ural mountain air
through the poisonous fumes.
P, it's time to talk
about your departure.
Before you cross the border, you must
delete our secure messaging app.
Yeah.
You need to be very careful about how you
take your footage past border control.
Just be calm.
You have a return ticket. They'll think
you are returning in 7 days.
Just believe in yourself.
I think what you've done
is going to make a big impact.
[Sun up high, bright blue sky]
[that was the little boy's picture]
[He drew it on a piece of paper]
[and wrote in the corner]
[may there always be sunshine]
[may there always be a sky]
Hello. This is me.
In this moment I have no idea the amount
of trouble I'm about to cause for myself.
- Good day, students.
- Pasha, this is not the best time.
I am the event coordinator
at Karabash Primary School #1.
First...
I am also the school videographer.
Together with a group of students,
I shoot all major events in the school.
My place of employment is
the biggest school
in what is a very small town.
The population here is only 10,000.
The town is nestled deep
in the Ural mountain region.
This is Russia's industrial heartland.
Life here revolves around
the copper smelting plant.
In fact, we are
world famous because of this plant.
People come from everywhere
to see the town
that UNESCO once called
the most toxic place on Earth.
The most polluted town in Ural, with
an average life expectancy of 38 years.
It's so like post-apocalyptic here.
There's random stinking gasses.
It's the most depressing place I've
ever been. The air... Oh, man, it stinks.
There's a high rate of mortality
from cancer, lung diseases
and other diseases. Wow.
Welcome to Karabash.
That's the way the world
sees my hometown.
But the reality is
that it's not so bad here.
And as the event coordinator
at the school,
I can make sure the kids always
have something to look forward to.
There is cake for everyone.
What I like about my job is being
able to be there for my students.
Helping them open their minds.
Express themselves.
And just giving them the space
to be kids.
[Even though it's far from great!]
[But I try my best on my guitar...]
Although sometimes I mess everything up.
I hope the kids forgive me
for not bringing an extra battery
for their music video shoot.
As a graduate of this school myself,
I'm fond of this place.
And I hope the people here
like me too.
- Do you want some cabbage soup?
- No, thanks.
Your cabbage soup is not very good.
The best soup is from
the "Sushi-Pizza" restaurant.
Get out of here!
You and your sushi-pizza.
But I also have my ways
of winning people over.
Good morning.
I would like some flowers.
Hi, Miss Librarian!
A present? I knew it!
I brought you flowers.
Happy birthday, Mom.
This is my mom. I love her
very much but I've never told her.
Let the flowers speak for me.
- You are filming this?
- Yes.
It was in February of 2022
when my job
was to change drastically.
This is the news
on the First Channel.
According to Vladimir Putin, Russia will
conduct a special military operation.
With the consent
of the Russian Federation Council
and in accordance with the ratified
agreement of February 22, 2022
regarding friendship and mutual aid
with Donetsk People's Republic
and Luhansk People's Republic
I decided to conduct
a special military operation.
NEW FEDERAL
PATRIOTIC EDUCATION POLICY
Hello?
Are there special orders? I don't
understand what's happening at all.
We need to get the kids to recite
some patriotic songs and speeches.
You need to film it.
We also need to film the children
reciting poems about our victory.
- Are we completely fucked up?
- It just came from above.
Damn.
How do we actually do this?
- No idea.
- OK.
Fuck! It hurts!
OK, see you.
Fuck!
Present the flag.
A new patriotic curriculum supporting the
war will now be introduced in our school.
Lessons, songs, morning drills...
I was instructed to shoot
all the events...
Place the flag.
...as proof that the school is
complying with government orders.
During the first days, I darted
from one classroom to the next
recording scripted lesson
after scripted lesson.
The workload was so huge,
I had to ask for assistance in filming.
State policy in Ukraine is decided
by radicals, nationalists, and...
...neo-Nazis. Everything that unites
us have been brought under attack.
In February 2022, he took part in
a special operation for demil...
Demilitarization.
For demilitarization and denazification
of Ukraine as a part of...
- Let's repeat it.
- Do I start from the beginning or?
No, only from these words,
starting from "he took part in"...
In February 2022, he took part in
a special operation for demilitar...
Just say "denazification".
Some were struggling with
the new words of the curriculum.
Others, like Abdulmanov here,
delivered the lessons with
the passion of a true believer.
The next point is the economy.
The economic component
of hybrid warfare.
These are the sanctions
against our country.
You already know
that Europe, not Russia, is suffering
the most from these sanctions now.
Without energy, that is,
without our gas, oil and so on.
In France,
to fill the tank with petrol,
you need more than 150 euros.
So the French will soon
be like musketeers,
riding horses,
and the rest of Europe too.
There are
no local agricultural products
in Europe
or in most other countries.
That is, no wheat, oils,
and so on.
Well, again, in France, OK, they're
used to eating oysters and frogs.
They will last for some time,
but what about the others, like England?
England, you remember,
is a tiny island.
They killed their own people
during World War II.
In the USA, there are
demonstrations supporting Russia.
As I said, we could destroy Ukraine
in a couple of days.
Thank you.
Few of us were prepared for such
an intervention in our freedom to teach.
The hours when I used
to focus on the kids
are now spent uploading these videos
onto some mysterious government database.
This is my home.
It's a 2-bedroom in the city center.
Here, I have 427 books.
All carefully arranged in color order.
A pet parrot.
A dog named Nebraska.
And lots of memories...
As a young student, I knew I
was different from the other boys
even if I had no idea why.
Maybe this is why
I was always alone.
I was also lonely at home.
When I was 9,
my father drowned in a lake
leaving my mother to raise
me and my siblings on her own.
Here at the school,
I can create my own family.
What I've tried to create
in my office is simple.
Exactly the kind of place that
I wish existed when I was a student.
This office here
is a pillar of democracy
in our entire non-democratic world.
Students can always come in here.
Even if it's closed,
one can unlock it with almost any key.
Go ahead, film the flag.
No, it won't fall out.
What Evgenia Vladimirovna
will tell you, she is forced to say.
Were you forced?
Blink twice if you were forced.
- We need to save Evgenia Vladimirovna.
- Let me just adjust the balance.
All of us together must help
each other and our army
with understanding, support, and mindful
attitude towards everything that happens.
Every day,
there were new mandatory lessons.
It felt like us teachers were
being forced to fight this war too.
How many of you already know about
the Crimean spring? Yes, Alexander?
- Crimea joined Russia.
- So, Crimea joined Russia, then?
Crimea left Russia...
Oh, left Ukraine and joined Russia.
How smart you are, you all know.
Why did the Crimean people
want to join Russia?
Because the Ukrainians didn't
give money for infrastructure,
so they decided to join us.
Those who wear the floral crowns,
please wave to the camera.
And a wide smile.
I'm exhausted from
all the extra propaganda work.
Then I see a post from
a Russian web content company.
"Casting call. Has your job been affected
by the special military operation?"
I surprise myself by sending them
an overly long email:
"I'm writing to you because I think I
would be a good candidate for your show."
"I am a teacher forced to do the exact
opposite of what a teacher should do."
"Using my own resources
as school videographer,
I have already been
documenting things here."
"I await your reply."
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday.
The students who pass through
my office become family.
Like this group of graduates
from last year.
But I'm worried for them.
One, two, three.
Karabash!
- I don't have time to study.
- I am in danger of flunking, too.
If you flunk out,
you might end up dead in Ukraine.
They're making my sister
in first grade learn war poems.
They make her learn those too.
I asked, "Why are you learning this?"
She says, "I was told to do it
to support the army."
- Not like she knows what war is.
- No, they don't need to know what it is.
I got you a McDonald's t-shirt!
Brand merch, my gift to Nikita.
[A slow dance to make you cry]
[Even though they all sound the same]
Mom, do you know
what's happening?
Like, what they have to learn
in the 11th grade?
Heroes of the special military operation!
So what? There are boys at war.
Young boys.
It's only natural for boys
to go to war!
- I don't like that kind of nature.
- You're different.
Our country wants a lot of things.
There is no need to start a war for this.
I understand you perfectly.
One idiot decides to do this,
and the whole world is now afraid.
Idiot.
It would have been better if he just
sat at his desk and did nothing!
I am sorry, but people love war.
They want to shoot each other.
It's always been like that. And our
people were in all the battles. Always.
People love to shoot each other.
Turn on your brain sometimes.
It's useful.
Take some sweets, son.
Beautiful.
Somewhere along the line,
I get sick of having no one to talk to.
So I start talking to my own camera.
It's a very unpleasant feeling.
It's like you are in a room
and all walls are closing in on you.
The air is running out.
And you are so aware that
you cannot change anything.
That you remain trapped in this system.
I love my job, but I don't want
to be a pawn of the regime.
I'm resigning my position as event
coordinator at Karabash Primary School.
Whatever repercussions come of this,
so be it.
Even a guy like me
should have some principles.
I walk into the administration and
submit the resignation letter.
By June, I am done here.
Sometimes I get asked to
film things outside of school.
And today
I'm filming a pro-war rally.
I feel like for now
I must play along.
Come stand with us.
Right here.
WE DON'T ABANDON OUR PEOPLE
I feel like I'm an alien in my own town.
But of course, it's not just here.
Around the country,
the drums of war beat wildly.
If we need to turn Kyiv into ruins
and put our flag on top of these ruins
then this must be done.
The rally in Karabash is just part of
a larger national information war.
This operation is about revenge.
We strike precisely for revenge.
This is a manifestation
of our hate, a totally holy hate.
We shouldn't kill them out of hate.
We must kill them out of love,
love for our children.
[Ah, Mother Russia]
[Our nuclear missiles]
[are ready for battle]
[Trust us, grandmother,]
[with the red banner!]
No to the war! No to the war!
Of course there were the anti-war
protestors in some larger cities.
Stop the war! No to the war!
Media personnel, step aside.
I wish I could be as brave as them.
But I'm not.
And this goes for everyone
in this town.
- Is there anyone against the war?
- No, we do not know anyone.
Among our social circle,
there are none of that kind.
They won't even dare to be "against".
After the rally, I see what
the town has done with my footage.
It's a multimedia exhibit
at the town library.
I look into the eyes of the kids
watching my creation.
I am these kids' propagandist.
Luckily I brought my universal remote,
so I could turn off the bullshit.
All of a sudden,
I received the strangest message ever.
The Instagram post
I randomly responded to has paid off.
And now...
"Dear Pasha, I am from Europe
working in documentary films."
"Your contact information was
given to me by a friend in Russia."
"I want to talk about your idea
to film a story about how
the war is affecting your school."
When I sent that pitch, I knew no one
in Russia could legally cover this story.
But now a foreigner enters the scene
offering support.
I spend all night
thinking about his offer
to help show my material to the world.
Let's do this.
My job already involves filming
everything around the school.
It's the perfect cover.
Why resign my position when it's
the perfect way to make a film here?
I go to the school administration
and take back my resignation.
Now I'm not only
a school videographer.
Now, I'm a film director.
And I'll use my camera to film
the abyss this school is sinking into.
But where to start?
Attention!
Present the flag.
The new mandatory anthem ceremony
is overseen by Pavel Abdulmanov...
...representative of the ruling party
in our institution.
Now that's interesting.
Why history?
I think that the history of Russia is one
of the most important social sciences.
I agree with the saying
that people
who have forgotten their history
do not have a future.
Which famous historical figure
do you most admire?
I think some of the Soviet officials
from the Soviet era.
Lavrentiy Beria.
Lavrentiy Beria,
leader of Stalin's secret police.
Father of the Gulag system.
He was so enthusiastic about
the beating of political prisoners
that he would often join
in the torture himself during his purges.
Maybe Abakumov.
Viktor Abakumov, Stalin's spy hunter.
Famous for killing countless enemy spies,
almost none of which were actually spies.
Definitely Pavel Sudoplatov.
Pavel Sudoplatov. Notable for eliminating
Stalin's enemies in creative ways
such as an ice pick
straight through Leon Trotsky's head.
And a bomb disguised
as a box of chocolates
delivered to a prominent
Ukrainian independence fighter.
- Why are these guys your heroes?
- I think they had interesting jobs.
How will your students remember you?
As a fun person, I hope.
It's so crucial to eliminate
dissenting views
so there is no political split
in our country.
You love your motherland
out of obligation.
Like how you love your mother.
You love her just because
she's your mother.
You love your motherland just
because it is your motherland.
If you were born in this country and
don't believe we're doing the right thing
then leave. Go to the country
that you think is better.
If you live in our country and don't
love it, then you're a parasite. Leave.
I can understand Abdulmanov
from one side...
...because he is brainwashed.
He is so certain that he is correct.
But I worry about...
...the kids sitting in front of him.
They haven't yet learned
how they should live their lives.
They can't make these decisions yet.
I might love Russia much more
than the regime supporters do.
I love when you can open
your balcony door wide open
to get all the fresh air in.
I love when it gets so cold,
it's almost -45 degrees,
and you can only run
from one place to another
with a completely red face
and a white ice moustache.
I love autumn.
I love everything.
I love the people.
Love for your country
is not about putting up a flag.
It is not about singing
the anthem either.
It's not about exploitation
and propaganda.
Love for your country means saying,
"We have a problem."
What are you filming?
- A film.
- For what?
BBC.
Ah, well film then.
It's not just my current students
who face new challenges.
Many of my former students
are at the age for military service.
This is a long-standing tradition
but now it has
much darker implications.
This is Vanya. Even after his graduation,
he still often comes to my office.
I just came in and these little guys
who used to run and trip
over my knees
now they are taller than me, in their
graduation costumes. I am in shock.
Why does time fly so fast?
Vanya now works at the liquor store
as he figures out his next step.
Maybe I'll move to Chelyabinsk. I am
not sure what to do with my life yet.
- Do you have connections there?
- No, who the fuck needs me?
You'd better not join the army
out of desperation.
- I wanted to.
- Did you? Still or not anymore?
I wanted to sign a contract.
It is necessary to support
the proposal of the Ministry of Defense
and the General Staff to hold a partial
military mobilization in Russia.
The decree on partial mobilization
has been signed.
Just like that,
everything was about to change again.
Keep it even in the back.
Across the country,
regular men were called up for duty.
Now almost all men will live under
the constant threat of being sent to war.
Perhaps it was inevitable
that the realities of war would find
their way into my little office.
I had the same attitude
as my mother in the beginning.
I could care less about the war, as
long as it doesn't bother me personally.
This is Masha. A constant presence
in my office over the past years.
- I want to go to medical school.
- You still need to get in.
- What if you don't get in?
- Well, damn then.
Masha! When did you stop believing
in Santa Claus?
- I still believe in Santa Claus.
- What did you ask him for?
Happiness.
My brother is chilling in a base
in some city in Russia
waiting to be sent back to Ukraine.
He went to Ukraine for 10 days
and was sent back to the base.
Some men stay there
for 2-3 weeks.
- He was drafted?
- Yes.
- He has a duty.
- What is his salary?
He just got
about 1200 euro for a month.
They have really scary guns.
- Are they broken?
- No, his are all good.
He carries four grenades
on one side.
And four grenades on the other.
As rough as it was to see
Masha's brother go off to war
it wasn't any easier to see
my own students get drafted.
What was your first thought when
you were drafted into the army?
That this farewell party
would be expensive for me.
- Do you really want to join the army?
- I was conscripted. They sent for me.
Which troops
would you most like to join?
Putin's.
I'd like to serve in the Kremlin.
- Should you shave?
- Are you going to shave me?
I think Vanya needs a shave.
Let's shave little Vanya.
- Leave enough room for everyone.
- Yes, he has a lot of hair.
- Yes, he still has it.
- On the second round.
Do you know what this hairstyle
is called? Landing strip. For pilots.
It's run out of power.
Put it on the charger.
- Say "Ivan". One, two, three.
- Ivan!
- Say "army". One, two, three.
- Army!
- Pasha, put down the camera and come.
- Let me do a little too.
You decided to sign up on your own?
- They sent for me.
- Why didn't you call me?
It happened so fast, I didn't
understand what was going on.
Ah, we need to charge it more.
OK, so let it charge.
In my office
I've witnessed these friendships bloom.
But it's all so fragile.
- What a son you have raised.
- Dammit, I'm crying.
Vanya!
Fuck, I'm crying.
Goddammit, Vanya.
I know, Vanya, you are my friend,
you are my friend, you are my brother.
You understand? Not by blood,
but by soul. Understand?
If you were a stupid, bad guy, I would
have cut you off. I love you for real.
I see the real you.
For real.
You're leaving for a year...
It's fucked up.
I haven't slept since
Vanya's going away party.
Maybe I'm too anxious
to ever sleep again.
To see my students
so directly get drawn into this war
gave me an uncontrollable urge
to lash out.
And so, when setting up the sound system
for the daily anthem ceremony, I acted.
The US national anthem
as performed by Lady Gaga.
What could be more treasonous?
Pasha, stop it immediately.
- Why?
- Do you want to go to prison?
- You have lots of enemies at the school.
- So what?
President Vladimir Putin
signed a law
on life imprisonment
for government treason.
We must suppress activities of
foreign secret services and identify
traitors, spies and saboteurs.
In April 2023, the state released
updated laws concerning "treason".
25 years in prison.
That's the verdict for journalist
and activist Vladimir Kara-Murza.
He was found guilty of treason,
discrediting the army, and
leading an "undesirable organization."
There is something called
"traitor of the motherland".
Just imagine this.
You are a citizen of your country
and then there is a person
who betrays your country.
He is just a scumbag.
Obviously, I am constantly walking
around the town with the camera.
At first it felt safe
and even interesting.
It was like a game.
But then...
It became harder as the political
atmosphere was heating up.
People start taking notice
if the camera is present.
They get pretty worried.
Start whispering.
It seems like...
...in a second, trust was lost.
Please be seated.
True or false: an effective way
of fighting modern warfare
is to use foreign agents.
True.
The enemy is trying to recruit people
from local communities
to spread propaganda
and confusion.
That's the truth.
We must support each other.
They will attempt to defeat us
from the inside
by dividing us.
So it's important that
we unite and support each other.
These kind of lessons would be
unimaginable when I was a student here.
In those days an open environment
made it possible for someone
like me to be free in this school.
But since last year, there is
no more freedom to be found here.
And starting from today,
it's official.
Dear teachers, students,
and visitors!
We're here to witness an event
of historical magnitude.
Russian President Vladimir Putin
has supported the idea
of the creation of an
all-Russian movement for children.
For the first time in Russian history,
a president will personally chair
the board of the children's movement.
I greet all the participants of the first
meeting of the children's movement.
Here in Moscow, we meet bright and
creative kids from all over the country.
This includes kids
from our new regions.
Putin announced
this new organization
on the 100-year anniversary
of the Soviet Pioneers.
In the high Soviet era,
the pioneers prepared youth to fight
the future battles of communism.
Putin is bringing back this
all-encompassing propaganda organization.
But not for communism.
No, this movement is loyal
only to him and his aims.
- Patriot!
- Our motto!
We only move forward,
since we're the Patriot team!
We're brave and agile,
and ready to do anything to win.
Go sit down over there. Move
the chairs there, and sit down in pairs.
- Did I put my hat on the right way?
- Yes.
Putin's new youth movement mandates
new types of propaganda lessons.
Now, there are not just prepared lines
for the teachers.
Now, even the students are reading
from scripts.
Kids, please hide
your scripts under the tables.
Tell me another of
the most heroic Soviet cities.
- Kyiv!
- Which one?
- Kyiv.
- It's correct.
Someone wants to tell me
a little bit about it? Yura, please.
Kyiv is one of our first cities fighting
the enemy during the Great Patriotic War.
On June 6, 1941,
facing perilous attack
from German fascist troops
our military headquarters
was established in Kyiv.
The 72-day defense of
the Ukrainian capital thus began
lasting until September 19, 1941.
- This city received its first award...
- Look at the teacher, not me.
This city received its first award...
What do Putin's lessons
seek to teach us?
It's obvious on Victory Day, the holiest
day of the year for the Russian state.
Marching together, we hold pictures of
relatives who perished in World War II.
We begin the ceremony
of laying a garland
in recognition of the heroism
of Soviet soldiers.
A wreath is placed on behalf of the
copper mining conglomerate Karabash-med.
The message to the kids isn't subtle.
"Maybe one day
you can be a dead soldier too."
Our people, just like in the years of
the Great Patriotic War, must unite
in order to defeat the enemy.
I'm very happy to see so many children
and young people here at the parade.
I encourage you, patriots.
You, young people, will have to carry
the banner of absolute victory over evil.
[Come on, let's live,]
[let's live]
[Sharing the minutes]
[of joy and happiness together]
[And valuing every hour,]
[every moment that we have]
[Oh, our life, oh, our life]
[is like a song]
Ah, I get it now.
Hi, Masha.
How have you been?
Are you OK?
Wait, I am filming you
taking the picture.
Your brother.
- Are you going to show it to your mom?
- Yes, they put it in the classroom.
Do you feel happy that the teachers put
the photo of your brother on the wall?
- Well, I am not happy he is at war.
- Understandable.
As part of the
state-mandated propaganda
students here are often given graded
assignments to write letters to soldiers.
But sometimes these tasks can be
redirected towards our own ends.
They can be a good way
to vent suppressed feelings.
Masha, did you show your mother
the letter you wrote to a soldier?
- She said it was a sad letter.
- What letter is this?
To a soldier.
She said
I was good at describing things.
Did you write to a random soldier
or to your brother?
I wrote to a soldier about my brother.
"Dear soldier, I hope you are well,
dressed, healthy and full."
"I understand this is not easy neither
for you nor for your family and friends."
"But just do anything to come back home.
It's not easy for me either, honestly."
"My brother is on the battlefield now,
and we're all very worried for him."
"On February 3, 2023,
he told us he was OK."
"He said he was not hungry
nor was he missing us."
That he was missing us, I mean.
"I am writing this to tell you
please do not forget to call people
who are worried about you."
Forward march, go!
When did we start marching
in the hallways?
Is Severus Snape
our new headmaster?
[White snow, gray ice!]
[On the cracked earth!]
[Covered by a patchwork quilt!]
[There is a city in the bend of the road!]
[And clouds are floating above the sky!]
[Quenching the heavenly light!]
Proceed to the next step.
Yes, sir.
Don't turn with your shoulder.
- You are walking too fast.
- At ease.
Marching steps. And march.
14 students from 6th grade
are receiving failing grades.
And 34 students from 7th grade.
133 grades are missing.
I think the teachers
are inflating the grades.
Pavel Abdulmanov, academic performance
in your class has dropped 7%.
Back to the problem of kids failing.
This is a very serious issue.
This is not only happening in our school.
There are a lot of questions.
We need to find out why this is happening
and what can be done about it.
Maybe the reason
they are failing is all the bullshit.
You have to prepare all the patriotic
lessons, all the special courses.
The new youth organizations that
they shove down your throat.
It's true. How are we supposed
to do this all at once?
"Go Russia, hurray for nuclear weapons,"
that's all we have here now.
What if we could just take out
all the extra activities
and just focus on educating kids.
Why can't we just try it?
- How in the world can we do that?
- I would get fired!
- I'd also get fired as principal.
- It has to come from above.
It's like walking a tight rope.
When you feel like you are nothing
but a propagandist
and you feel like
it's going to consume all of you
you need to even it out
and act out.
My stomach is aching.
I might be a self-destructive person.
But I can't look at one more pro-war
Z symbol on these windows.
So I take them down
and put up X's instead.
A symbol online in support
of Ukrainian refugees.
No, Pasha, don't do this.
We are all adults here, after all.
Everyone is having a hard time.
That's correct,
everyone is having a hard time.
Pasha, you have to listen
to other people too.
That's it, thank you,
it's great that we heard each other out.
Karabash is a small city,
where everybody knows each other.
Word starts spreading about
my open opposition to the regime
and in Russia, you never know
what kind of danger you might face.
I go to the town award ceremony
feeling anxious but also a bit hopeful.
Here, an award is given to the local
teacher who is most loved by students.
The prize is a new deluxe apartment,
right here in Karabash.
Good afternoon.
Hello, dear guests.
The award is for someone kind,
someone understanding.
Someone who creates a space for students
where they feel comfortable.
We are starting the ceremony for
"favorite teacher" award.
The winner is
Pavel Shaihovich Abdulmanov!
The history and social science teacher
from Karabash Primary School.
Students and parents value him for his
kindness, his way of explaining things,
his creative approach to teaching,
and for his understanding of students.
"Abdulmanov teaches us
how to be smart."
I'm overwhelmed with emotions,
even if you don't see it on my face.
Sometimes I feel like I'm the guy
everyone wants to tear apart.
But it turns out
they really love me.
As a teacher
I feel more and more useless.
It's now time for
the mercenaries to teach.
Don't film too much here.
Wagner mercenaries, to be precise.
Wagner.
This mine is called a petal.
It's being thrown out from airplanes.
If it's a field or open space,
you would never see it.
It's very hard to see it in bushes
or anywhere else.
If you see this mine,
walk around it.
If you ever see it anywhere,
never come close to it or touch it.
There is liquid inside
that blows up instantly.
It will take your whole leg off
in a second.
The most important thing,
if you end up in a crossfire is
never clasp your helmet!
It will break your neck
if you get shot in the head.
Move a little bit closer together.
OK, thank you.
Our schedules are packed
with military related events.
Marching practice, shooting drills,
grenade throwing competitions.
The 2nd place for "Grenade Throwing,
Age Category 15-16 Years"
is awarded to Bidal Gabitov.
The 1st place award
goes to Seymon Chuykin.
We've never had a demand
for teachers as we do now.
Teachers play pivotal roles when
countries are at turning points.
Commanders don't win wars.
Teachers win wars.
You can see these models of small arms
used during the Great Patriotic War.
And here's our last exhibit,
the Degtyaryov machine gun.
It has the same cartridge as the Mosin
and the SVT. It holds 75 bullets.
- Is everything good in school?
- No, there's nothing good there.
Good day!
Happy birthday!
Help me with the flowers.
And a present for you as well.
Good.
Maybe I will stop by
your place tonight.
Forget it.
Today's training
will help students develop
the morale required for military service.
Pasha, my brother Kostya called crying
yesterday about huge losses over there.
Actually crying?
He recorded a voice message
on WhatsApp.
He told the whole family
that he is alive and OK.
But also he talked about huge losses and
his voice started trembling by the end...
- Can't he leave?
- He wants to really bad.
Is there any way
he can officially leave this war?
I don't think so,
it's not like they give vacation time.
- Is he on contract or mobilized?
- Mobilized.
He can't say "demobilize" me?
It doesn't work that way,
no one is going to let him go.
It's horrifying,
I am scared.
The war has become
Europe's bloodiest since WW2.
By the summer of 2024,
Putin's strategy was to throw soldiers
at the Ukrainian frontlines.
Russia slowly made territorial gains,
a few square kilometers here and there,
costing 1000 soldiers' lives every day.
Yet there is no shortage
of conscripts from Karabash.
The kids have been taught well
by their teachers.
It feels like yesterday
I filmed Nikita getting
a McDonald's shirt for his birthday.
Nikita! What can I say, you're starting
a new chapter in your life.
You are becoming more manly.
I am wishing you endurance, happiness
and health, that's the most important.
If you ever have any problems,
your friends will always have your back.
Pull the trigger, take position,
the correct one, then shoot 4 times.
"I will see you when you get back."
"See you in a year."
But some guys will never come home.
Artyom was my friend
from my own graduation class.
He's one of many who lost their lives,
and whose deaths were
covered up by the state.
The death numbers of this war are highly
sensitive information for the regime.
Filming Russian soldiers' funerals
is too risky.
But I think it's important
so I recorded the sound.
Attention please.
On the 30th of April, Russian Citizen
Artyom Volkov died.
During the liberation of Artyomovsk
of the Donetsk People's Republic.
Artyom!
Artyom!
My sweet boy!
No, no, no.
Zhenya, hold mom.
Why didn't you let me
come close to him?
My little Artyom!
I know the situation here is incomparable
to what's happening in Ukraine.
But there are more and more people
suffering here because of the war.
And there is nowhere in school
where the trauma doesn't reach.
The kindest boy, Igor,
who lost his father.
Kristina from school security
who lost her boyfriend.
And so many brothers in harm's way.
Masha's brother Kostya was deployed
to Ukraine during the mobilization.
He recently defected from the army
only to be captured and brought back
to Ukraine.
A few weeks later,
his family got a call that he was dead.
- Do you miss him?
- Of course, everybody does.
We never ended up having
a good talk about her brother.
In some ways
that's what hurt me the most.
Masha was always seeking
a place to be free.
To unload her feelings
without fear or prejudice.
But I have to admit
it feels like something has changed.
More and more, students
have started to fear my classroom.
They don't wish to be seen with
the guy who hangs the democracy flags.
And so they don't come.
But perhaps
the students are smart to avoid me.
One day a police car
appears outside my window.
In a small town like Karabash,
this is suspicious.
I hide my hard drives and passwords
in case something happens.
Here... is where they're hidden.
I want people in Russia
and my hometown
to see the material
I recorded.
For all that was said and done
in this film,
surely I will get beaten or put in jail.
If we were a free country
with the freedom to say
what needs to be said...
...I wouldn't need to leave Russia.
It's...
This departure...
It's...
It's...
- How is your brother Vanya doing?
- He is OK.
- Does he call you? Is he still there?
- Yes. He has become a captain.
- Oh, a captain!
- Yes.
I go to the library
for a sort of farewell.
Let me film you repairing the books.
They're all torn.
Tell me what you're doing.
Affixing the cover.
Who in the world knows
that you fix these books?
Do you tell the kids about it?
I'm bringing a plant...
...to your house.
If it dies, OK.
But if it lives I'll be really happy.
- OK?
- OK.
- What do you think?
- What can I think?
I think she senses
that I am leaving
but not that it will be forever.
It's impossible to say the words
to someone you love so much.
I love...
...almost everything about this place.
I love the gray soviet buildings.
I love the maze of pipes coming
from the copper plant.
Pipes, pipes, pipes...
I love the stains on
the sides of the buildings.
I love thunder and storms.
P, it's time to talk
about your departure.
Before you cross the border, you
must delete our secure messaging app.
Be careful about how you take your
footage past border control. Just be calm.
You have a return ticket. They'll think
you are returning in 7 days.
I think what you've done
is going to make a big impact.
One last task before I leave.
This year
for our graduation ceremony,
a young tree is to be dug up
and planted at school.
A symbol of new beginnings.
Today, I am the event coordinator
at Karabash Primary School
and it's my responsibility to organize
the graduation ceremony.
The diplomas were printed.
The speeches were written.
I did these tasks
to the best of my abilities.
Make your destiny with your own hands.
Go against the wind. Don't stand still.
There is no simple way.
Dear friends!
Dear graduates,
parents,
and teachers!
In a very short while
your children, your students,
your brothers and sisters,
your closest people,
your family
will hear their school bell
for the last time.
And this will signify the beginning
of real adult life for them.
I'd like to take this opportunity,
my dear friends,
to say how great it is to be able
to actually call you my dear friends.
Wherever your life takes you,
I wish you
solid ground
under your feet.
Yes, there'll be turns.
Yes, there'll be ups and downs.
Yes, there'll be crossroads and turning
points, you'll have to choose.
Sometimes to do the right thing...
And sometimes
to express your love,
you must sacrifice everything.
But I know that your choice
will come from your heart.
I love you very much.
Thank you so much
for working with me
throughout these years.
I love you very much.
The time for the last bell has come.
We were all united by a deep recognition
of what we were leaving behind.
And utter blindness towards
what the next steps actually mean.
It can't be here,
why am I even searching?
Thank you for giving us
your warmth and support.
You supported us during the
hard times and were always here for us.
This is my passport.
Holy shit!
We all held each other once more,
dancing in the most toxic town on earth.
And you could almost smell
the clean Ural mountain air
through the poisonous fumes.