The Academy Award statuette belonging to Pavel Talankin, co-director and star of the documentary Mr Nobody Against Putin, has gone missing. Talankin reports the trophy disappeared after Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) confiscated it on Wednesday, April 30, 2026.
The statuette, weighing 8.5 pounds, was prevented from being carried onto a Lufthansa Airlines flight to Frankfurt, Germany. Talankin was instructed to check the Oscar, which was then packaged and placed in the plane's cargo hold. Upon arrival in Frankfurt, the trophy was not among the checked luggage. Talankin states he had previously transported the award, along with a BAFTA, on multiple flights without issue.
Talankin's Account and Communications
According to reports and social media posts by Talankin's co-director, David Borenstein, Talankin was stopped at a TSA security checkpoint at JFK's Terminal 1. Agents reportedly deemed the Oscar a potential security risk, capable of being used as a weapon. A Lufthansa supervisor was reportedly involved, and while the possibility of storing the Oscar in the cockpit was discussed, it was ultimately overruled. Lufthansa agents then reportedly bubble-wrapped the Oscar and placed it in a box for cargo transport. Borenstein has publicly appealed for assistance from the TSA and Lufthansa in locating the missing award.
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Background of the Film and Talankin
Mr Nobody Against Putin received the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature earlier this year. Talankin, a former school videographer in Russia, is described as living in exile in Europe after leaving his home country with the footage that formed the basis of the film. His documentation focused on Russia's propaganda machine. Concerns have been raised about how Talankin, who reportedly does not speak fluent English, was treated by airport officials, with one co-producer suggesting he might have faced different treatment had he been a more prominent, fluent English speaker. Lufthansa has not immediately responded to requests for comment.
