A courageous teacher at a small primary school in Russia faces an ethical dilemma: should he cooperate with a system characterised by propaganda and violence? 

Pavel “Pasha” (33) is a teacher at a small primary school in a Russian town. In normal times, he is a beloved mentor, joker and non-conformist. He puts up pro-democracy posters and his office is a safe haven for pupils who feel excluded. But after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Pasha becomes an international whistleblower and reveals the devastating consequences of Russia's aggressive militarisation within his own schools.

To cope with his guilt and powerlessness, Pasha films hundreds of hours of footage in classrooms and on school grounds. What emerges is the story of an institution that has been abruptly transformed: propaganda, repressive new laws, militarised youth organisations and, ultimately, the recruitment of graduating students to fight in Ukraine. When Pasha discovers that his own life is in danger, he is forced to plan a daring escape from Russia.