ENCOUNTERS 2025: MR NOBODY AGAINST PUTIN

Every year since our founding in 2010, The Bioscope has proudly hosted screenings of The Encounters South African International Documentary Festival. Now celebrating its 27th year as a festival, Encounters returns to The Bioscope once again with screenings at The Bioscope from 20 - 29 June. Tickets are R90. 

SEE THE FULL BIOSCOPE PROGRAM HERE

MR NOBODY AGAINST PUTIN

Dir. David Borenstein & Pavel Talankin | Denmark | Czech Republic | 90 min | 2025 

Set in a small town in the Ural Mountains, Mr Nobody Against Putin tells the story of Pavel Talankin, a school videographer whose deep engagement with his students is interrupted when Russia invades Ukraine, and a soviet-style propaganda programme is suddenly instituted at the school. Now, instead of documenting school life, the well-loved Pavel is required to record the new activities as proof that the school is adhering to the regulations. His camera, once the mechanism through which he connected with people, becomes an object of suspicion and the previously rich school life is drained of colour. But when Pavel comes across an Instagram post looking for people prepared to talk about the impact of the war on education, he embraces the opportunity to use his camera as a weapon against Putin’s information war. The resulting film is disturbing and charming in equal measure, the purity of its central character’s intentions standing in stark contrast to the brutality and inhumanity of the Russian state.

In 2025, The Bioscope celebrates 15 Years Of Cinema. We couldn’t have achieved this without our dedicated staff who look after you every time you visit. We’re lucky enough to have had all of them with us for as long as we can remember, and believe that this loyalty deserves constant support!

For the months of May, June and July, we are running a special BIOSCOPE BIRTHDAY STAFF FUNDRAISER, where in the checkout of your ticket purchase, you can give a donation that will go straight to them - Owen, Silin, Bongi, Portia, Polite, and Swenkie!