Actor Alexei Chadov reflects on a riveting interview with Aif where he recalls pushing his limits to the brink during the filming of Alexei Balabanov’s war epic. The memories unfold like a raw ledger of fear, adrenaline, and perseverance, painting a portrait of an artist who faced the unpredictable nature of cinema with unflinching honesty and a steady, almost stubborn, resolve.
Chadov shares a defining moment from his early twenties when he was cast into an icy river on a mountain location. The action demanded an open, combat ready stance as he wrestled with the elements and the frigid water while a raft bucked and drifted, threatening to capsize. The danger was not staged for spectacle but real enough to tighten the chest and sharpen the senses. The risk of hypothermia and the ever-present threat of drowning turned the scene into a crucible, and he came away with a heightened respect for the craft and a deeper trust in his own endurance. The experience became a formative lesson about how quickly a scene can transition from rehearsed routine to life threatening immediacy, and it stayed with him long after the cameras stopped rolling.
Chadov goes on to recall other moments that tested nerve during the shoot. He describes watching a fellow performer named Chebet navigate a near vertical slope with a daunting 90 degree incline. The fear of unknown footing and the sheer vertigo of the descent carved into him a clear understanding of how a single misstep could alter the course of a scene and a life. Yet the dialogue of courage persisted beyond fear. The actor notes how such instances did more than heighten tension on camera; they forged a shared trust among the cast and crew, a compact forged in conditions where every moment could pivot the story toward disaster or triumph.
In a quieter thread of the recollection Chadov reveals the personal costs that come with a demanding shoot. His mother faced hours of separation during those remote days, with no reliable phone contact and travel constraints that kept families apart until the set lights dimmed. The loneliness of the peak season turned into a test of resilience for everyone involved, and it underscored the human stakes behind a sprawling production. The narrative hints at a life shaped by distant villages and long nights, where communication gates closed as the workday stretched beyond the ordinary. The emotional toll is acknowledged with a practical, almost stoic acceptance that such challenges accompany the making of a film with historical weight and cinematic ambition.
Before concluding, the piece touches on a personal milestone in Chadov’s life. In 2014 he became a father for the first time, welcoming a son named Fedor born from his union with Agniya Ditkovskite. The revelation adds another layer to the memory, linking the actor’s professional trials to the tenderness of fatherhood and the responsibilities it invites. The juxtaposition of peril on screen and the quiet gravity of family life offers a portrait of a man who navigates both worlds with a practical optimism and a willingness to endure the unknown for what he genuinely believes in. This season of storytelling emphasizes the resilience required to pursue deeply personal artistic work while maintaining a grounded, everyday humanity that resonates with audiences far beyond the studio lights.