Overview
- The council said it has written to the Oscars organizers and UNESCO, urging a review of the film’s compliance with ethical and legal standards.
- It alleges images of minors were used without parental approval and says parents have asked Russian authorities to protect their children’s rights.
- Built from classroom footage in Karabach documenting post-2022 indoctrination, the 90-minute film was co-directed by Pavel Talankin and David Borenstein after Talankin fled Russia in 2024.
- The film won Best Documentary at the 98th Academy Awards in a surprise over Netflix’s 'The Perfect Neighbour', and Talankin used his acceptance speech to call for an end to all wars.
- The Kremlin kept its distance, with spokesman Dmitri Peskov saying he had not seen the film, and state news agency Ria Novosti leaving it off its Oscars results list.