Russian documentary filmmaker Pavel Talankin had his Oscar statuette consecrated by Father Alexey Uminsky in Paris, according to the Sota Telegram channel.
Talankin, a former school videographer, won the 2026 Academy Award for best documentary feature for «Mr. Nobody Against Putin.» Shortly after the win, Russian authorities designated him a «foreign agent.» The statuette was reportedly brought to the ceremony in a string bag.
Clergy reactions
«All the sins of Hollywood have been banished from it!» Father Mikhail Evelson said in a comment on the ceremony.
Father Andrey Kuraev described the moment as «the birth of a new liturgical practice: the consecration of the Oscar statuette.»
Public response
One commenter wrote:
«Everyone dedicates to God what is dear to them and what they have. One dedicates a murder weapon. Another dedicates a symbol of their spiritual contribution to peace.»
Another user offered a more reflective take:
«You can laugh, of course, but this is not the case. The euphoria has passed, and the heavy burden of the award has set in. I can only imagine Pavel being torn apart by cries of ‘Get him! Get him!’ A crowd is a terrifying thing. Pavel doesn’t have a father, and perhaps, for him, this is symbolic recognition and support from a father figure. His loneliness is also a heavy burden.»
The commenter concluded that people could laugh and elevate themselves above Pavel, but in reality, they were not arguing with him; rather, they were confronting their own inability to «read» the symbolism of what was happening.
