How do you make a documentary from within a regime where telling the truth can cost lives? In this session, director David Borenstein and producer Helle Faber discuss the making of Mr. Nobody Against Putin — a film shot under extreme conditions in Putin’s Russia.

The documentary follows Pasha, a teacher in the Russian school system, as his school is gradually transformed into a patriotic military training ground. The film offers a rare glimpse into daily life under Putin’s rule and reveals the concrete consequences of systematic ideological control. Told with cinematic precision, it combines covert recordings, atmospheric storytelling, and a strong character-driven narrative.

Borenstein and Faber will share the creative and logistical challenges of developing and completing the film — from navigating the dangers of on-the-ground filming to managing complex editorial and ethical decisions. How do you tell a story when both your subject and your crew are under constant threat? And how do you balance truth, safety and dramatic impact?

The film won the Special Jury Award at Sundance and will premiere on Danish television this summer. Selected clips will be shown during the session, so attendees can follow the conversation even without having seen the full documentary.

We hope to have Pasha join the session in person, but his participation depends on security and logistics.

This session is curated by Thomas Breinholt and Nynne Duvå Hall from the 2025 programme committee.