“The Challenge”: Humanity’s First Real-Life Space Movie
In a groundbreaking move, a Russian movie titled “Challenge” has set a new standard by becoming the world‘s first movie shot in space. The film, which was released in mainland China on March 15, tells the story of an astronaut who was seriously injured on a space station and a female surgeon who ventures into space to perform a life-saving surgery.
Directed by Klim Shipenko, the film features actor Yulia Perhild as the heroine surgeon and real astronaut Anton Shkaplerov. The crew, including the director and actress, arrived at the International Space Station on October 5, 2021, aboard “The Soyuz MS-19” spacecraft. During their 12-day stay in space, they completed the filming of the space scenes, making history as the first feature film shot in space.
The Russian state has shown strong support for this groundbreaking project, with Russian President Vladimir Putin personally meeting the crew of “The Challenge” and awarding them the Russian National Award Medal of Honor Commendation for their contribution to promoting human aerospace culture.
Yulia Perhild, known for her award-winning performance in the film “Female Sniper,” underwent rigorous training before filming in space. She exceeded the performance requirements for load resistance, proving her readiness for the unique challenges of filming in a weightless environment.
During the filming process, Yulia and the director faced numerous challenges, including cramped filming conditions and the need to operate equipment in zero gravity. Despite the difficulties, they successfully completed the filming, with Yulia expressing a desire to return to space in the future due to her love for the experience.
“The Challenge” offers a glimpse into the future of filmmaking, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in cinema. With stunning visuals and a gripping storyline, the movie is set to captivate audiences around the world and inspire a new generation of filmmakers to explore the possibilities of space cinema.
As Yulia Perhild reflects on her experience filming in space, she expresses gratitude for the opportunity and looks forward to the future of space exploration in cinema. With “The Challenge,” humanity has taken a giant leap into a new frontier of storytelling and creativity.