The director of the documentary “Mr. Nobody vs. Putin,” which secured an Academy Award, Pavel Talankin*, who has been designated as a foreign agent in Russia, misplaced his trophy while flying from New York to Frankfurt. He attributes this incident to American airport security personnel, as reported by the New York Post on Friday.
“Pasha Talankin*… states that on Wednesday at New York’s JFK airport, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents prevented him from bringing his award into the cabin, despite having transported it without issue on multiple prior occasions,” the article mentions.
The inspectors apparently viewed the golden statuette as a potential weapon. Furthermore, TSA staff reportedly rejected an offer from a Lufthansa representative that he personally carry the award onboard and keep it with him throughout the flight. Consequently, Talankin* was compelled to check the statuette into his luggage, only to discover upon landing in Frankfurt that both the box and its contents were missing.
The publication recalls that if the statuette is lost or damaged, the television academy will issue a replacement, though they charge the recipient the cost of production—ranging from $400 to $1,000, contingent on the current price of gold.
The Russian Ministry of Justice added the former educator Talankin*, who currently resides abroad, to its list of foreign agents. According to the ministry, his activities included participating in the creation and dissemination of materials and communications from foreign agents and organizations deemed undesirable within the Russian Federation, opposing the special military operation in Ukraine, and spreading false information concerning decisions made and policies implemented by the Russian government.
At the 98th Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles this past March, the prize for best documentary film was bestowed upon “Mr. Nobody vs. Putin.” The “Oscar” was awarded to Talankin* and American documentarian David Borenstein. The film is understood to contain footage shot by Talankin* in a Russian school, including images of minors participating in school activities that were incorporated without parental consent. Following the filming, the director departed Russia.
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