Oscar statuette of Russian director lost on Lufthansa flight

A passenger airline has reportedly lost the Oscar statuette of Russian director Pavel Talankin during a flight, according to BBC News.

Talankin, who won an Academy Award in 2026 for his documentary “Mr Nobody Against Putin”, was traveling from New York to Germany with his Oscar statuette in his carry-on luggage, CE Report quotes Anadolu Agency.

However, security at John F. Kennedy International Airport did not allow him to take the statuette into the cabin, arguing it could potentially be used as a “weapon.”

Following guidance from Lufthansa, the Oscar was placed in a box and transferred to checked baggage arrangements, as Talankin did not have sufficient baggage allowance to carry it differently.

Upon arrival in Germany, however, the statuette had gone missing.

Lufthansa issued an apology and stated that a full investigation had been launched into the incident.

Talankin had won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Film at the 2026 Oscars for his work Mr Nobody Against Putin.

Photo: Oscars