Sergey Dvorianov – The Oscar 2026 Ceremony in the geopolitical context of the conflict of civilization

The editor-in-chief of The Times of Russia, Dr. Sergei Dvorianov, reflects on the trends in the development of modern cinema in the context of the recent very sad political events related to the kidnapping of the Venezuelan leader and the escalation of violence in the Middle East.

“God bless America,
My home, sweet home…” – many of us know the words of this American patriotic song of 2018. Was America truly blessed when it got a leader like Donald Trump?America today, of course, continues to be a legislator in a wide variety of fields – from art to geopolitics. However, we obviously won’t find any comforting words when answering the above-formulated question – to what extent is America really blessed by God at this moment in History? Has America’s leadership been demonstrated today in the ethical sphere, in the sphere of serving the spiritual values of humanity? The prestigious Oscar ceremony is another manifestation of America’s cultural hegemony, regularly arousing genuine interest from the international community.

Congratulations to all of us: in America, in Los Angeles, the next Oscar 2026 film award ceremony took place. “Battle after Battle” became the undisputed winner of the Oscar and the reference film of 2026. A very realistic film memoir by Paul Thomas Anderson
“Battle after battle” as a mirror of the era reflects the brutality of our time, showing violence as a kind of drive, entertainment, escape from the “ordinary.” Once upon a time, the famous English philosopher, the creator of modern political philosophy, Thomas Hobbes, described the state of anarchy, the absence of justice and law as a “war of all against all” (Latin Bellum omnium contra omnes).

According to Thomas Hobbes, this inevitable state of society must be transformed into a state of “civilization with a human face” before the conclusion of a “social contract” and the formation of a state. And today, another Thomas is Oscar-winning.

With his new film about the good old America, Paul Thomas Anderson is signaling to us with just the title of his work that in the very near future we will face “battle after battle” and a return to the state of “war of all against all.” The film received statuettes in the nominations “Best Film”, “Best Director”, “Best Supporting Actor”, “Best Adapted Screenplay”, “Best Casting” and “Best Editing”. Anderson had been hatching the idea to make this provocative movie for 20 years. However, the delayed project, released at the end of 2025, strangely managed to get into the rhythm and nerve of time. The American establishment, primarily in the person of President Donald Trump, consistently plunges the world community into a state of indifference to law and mercy. Trump will go down in history as the “dancing president,” but unfortunately, most of his dances are dancing on the bones of victims. Unceremoniously abducting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in front of our eyes and killing him in front of our eyes
Iran’s Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Trump has brought down all the foundations and rules. The film “Battle after Battle” truthfully shows us that violence, alas, is an inalienable ingredient of American culture, the American way of life, and the American mentality.

Ironically, the most positive character in the movie “Battle after Battle” is represented by
Sergio St. Carlos— played by Benicio Del Toro. Sergio Latinos, a representative of the very ethnic group against which Donald Trump is actively promoting and demonstratively building a “wall of distrust.” In Anderson’s film, Sergio is a karate coach who sincerely supports his people, the Latinos, and he is the one who looks the most sane and humane in the film. The consciousness of all the other characters in the film, from the extreme left to the extreme right, is poisoned by violence, culminating in the manifestation of outright fascism. The film “Battle after Battle” is a diagnosis of a protracted illness, it is the sound of a warning bell, it is the warning bell of sirens. Something is wrong with American society.

But, thank God, there is still the voice of other nations, and it can become the voice of God Himself. Anything unhealthy, terribly ambitious has no right to impose its will on us. Humanity always has a chance to overcome any possible crisis, and all that needs to be done is to remember God as the source of Law and Love. It is this source that poets, artists, and composers serve. Ideally, he should also be served by politicians.