Story perspectives

TSA Seizes Oscar, Airline Misplaces Award After Documentary Win

5/1/2026

Summary

Story summary

TSA forced Pavel Talankin, co-director, to check his Oscar, causing the airline to lose it.
Talankin flew the Oscar as a carry-on after the March 15 Academy Awards ceremony.
David Borenstein posted on Instagram about the missing Oscar, tagging Lufthansa and TSA.
Kino Lorber, the U.S. distributor, said the Oscar traveled as hand luggage.
The documentary won best documentary, earned $250,000 as of Monday, and warns that complicity erodes democratic institutions.

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Story summary

TSA forced Pavel Talankin, co-director, to check his Oscar, causing the airline to lose it.
Talankin flew the Oscar as a carry-on after the March 15 Academy Awards ceremony.
David Borenstein posted on Instagram about the missing Oscar, tagging Lufthansa and TSA.
Kino Lorber, the U.S. distributor, said the Oscar traveled as hand luggage.
The documentary won best documentary, earned $250,000 as of Monday, and warns that complicity erodes democratic institutions.