Russian team ready to produce first-ever film in space
A Russian team of two cosmonauts and two professional filmmakers will travel to the International Space Station early next month to produce the first film to be made in space. The crew announced that today.
The foursome will leave on October 5 with a Soyuz MS-19 space capsule. It will then take them to the ISS, which orbits the Earth at an altitude of 354 kilometers.
“This film tells the story of an ordinary person. A doctor who had nothing to do with space exploration and never even thought about it is offered to travel to the ISS and save the life of a cosmonaut” director and actor Klim Shipenko told a news conference today, before the crew headed towards the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan departed.
Professional cosmonauts will also be featured in the film. “I won’t be starring, but I will still have to figure out how a movie is made in such an unusual place as space,” commented Commander Anton Shkaplerov.
Lead actress Julia Peresild does her own make-up and styling for the occasion. “It won’t be on the same level as on Earth, but we’ll do our best. We are ready,” she said. She is not afraid. “It’s a little too late to be scared because we’ve come this far. There is still a lot to do, and to be honest, there is just no time for fear anymore.”
Director Shipenko is 1.90 m tall, and his height does training in the spacecraft – and the journey ahead – not very comfortable. But adjustments will be made in the future, he said. “It’s okay. I’m flying as it is now, but when we do the sequel about traveling to Mars, they promise the seat will be better.”
