Trending Now - Oscar Award Recovered After Travel Mishap at JFK Airport
WHO:
ABC News - Pavel Talankin, co-director David Borenstein, Lufthansa airline
ABC News - Talankin and Borenstein co-directed the best documentary winner “Mr. Nobody Against Putin”
WHAT:
ABC News - Lufthansa stated, “We can confirm that the Oscar statue has now been located and is safely in our care in Frankfurt,” and is arranging its return.
ABC News - Lufthansa expressed regret for the inconvenience caused and apologized to the owner.
ABC News - An internal review of the circumstances surrounding the incident is ongoing at Lufthansa.
ABC News - Talankin's Oscar went missing after being checked on a flight
ABC News - The Oscar was located two days later by Lufthansa
ABC News - Lufthansa confirmed the Oscar was safely in their care in Frankfurt and was arranging its return
ABC News - The TSA stated the Oscar could be used as a weapon, leading to it being checked
WHERE:
ABC News - The incident occurred at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York
ABC News - The Oscar was supposed to be transported to Frankfurt, Germany
WHEN:
ABC News - The flight from JFK to Frankfurt occurred on a Wednesday
ABC News - The Oscar was found two days after it went missing
ABC News - “Mr. Nobody Against Putin” won the Academy Award for best documentary in March
WHY:
ABC News - The TSA required the Oscar to be checked due to security concerns
HOW:
ABC News - Borenstein's announcement on social media prompted an international outcry leading to Lufthansa's response.
ABC News - The TSA placed the Oscar in a box and sent it to the bottom of the plane after Talankin did not have a bag to check it in
ABC News - An announcement by Borenstein on social media prompted an international outcry leading to the airline's response
(UPDATED May 2, 2026 01:24 UTC)
Lufthansa has confirmed that the Oscar statue has been located and is now safely in their care in Frankfurt, and they are making arrangements for its return. The airline expressed regret for the inconvenience caused and apologized to the statue's owner, following an announcement on social media by Borenstein that sparked an international outcry. Additionally, Lufthansa is conducting an internal review of the circumstances surrounding this incident.
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(UPDATED May 1, 2026 23:21 UTC)
Pavel Talankin and David Borenstein, co-directors of the Oscar-winning documentary "Mr. Nobody Against Putin," faced a troubling situation when Talankin's Oscar went missing after being checked on a Lufthansa flight from John F. Kennedy Airport to Frankfurt. Fortunately, the Oscar was located two days later by Lufthansa, who confirmed it was safely in their care and was arranging its return. The incident sparked an international outcry after Borenstein announced the situation on social media, leading to the airline's prompt response.