Lights, camera, action as Russia shoots a world-first feature film in space

No special effects here – Russian actors will film on location as they make their way to the International Space Station.

Cameras are about to start rolling as Russian filmmakers shoot a feature film on a location that’s literally out of this world.

Veteran Russian cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov, actor Yulia Peresild and film producer Klim Shipenko will film part of their movie Challenge on set at the International Space Station.

The space age story line focuses on the life of a surgeon who travels to space to operate on a sick cosmonaut.

Because of his critical condition, the patient is unable to return to Earth to be treated.

Shkaplerov, Peresild and Shipenko will board the Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 4.55 am ET on Tuesday.

The trio will arrive in space following a less than four hour trip, before being greeted by the station’s current crew from the European Space Agency, NASA and Japan’s Aerospace Exploration Agency.

The crew will then stay for 12 days to shoot segments for their film.

“The launch will mark the expansion of commercial space opportunities to include feature filmmaking.”

NASA

Space fans will have exclusive access to these events via NASA’s TV channel, app and website.

While the space station isn’t camera shy – having featured in a few short films before, Russia will be the first to capture a feature film out in space.

Unlike previous all-civilian flights, the two actors, along with their understudies underwent rigorous training, including centrifuge and vibration stand tests, training flights in zero gravity, and parachute training.

The crew also had to adapt to new filming and photography techniques that involved space-agency friendly equipment.

Shooting both fact and fiction

Roscosmos, Russia’s corporation for Space Activities says the film is part of a large-scale scientific and educational project.

This includes a series of documentaries to be shot about the rocket and space industry enterprises and specialists involved in the manufacturing of launch vehicles, spacecraft, and ground space infrastructure.

“The project will become a clear example of the fact that spaceflights are gradually becoming available not only for professionals, but also for an increasingly wider range of those interested,” Roscosmos says.

Written by Rebecca Borg