Filmmaker's Oscar Disappears After Airport Incident

The Oscar for Best Documentary Feature, awarded to "Mr. Nobody Against Putin," has been lost in transit. Co-director Pavel Talankin was reportedly compelled by a TSA agent at JFK Airport to check his statuette as carry-on luggage was prohibited. Talankin, who emigrated from Russia in 2024, was traveling with Lufthansa when the incident occurred. The award, placed in the cargo hold, did not reach its destination. This situation contrasts with a reported positive experience by director Jim Jarmusch, whose Golden Lion award was celebrated by Italian airport staff. Talankin's documentary focuses on his experiences in Karabash, a Russian town impacted by the Russia-Ukraine war. The missing Oscar joins a list of other lost Academy Awards.