In a recent interview with aif.ru, actor Milos Bikovich shared thoughts on space travel and his lifelong fascination with horizons beyond Earth. He acknowledged that, given the chance to journey into space, he would not hesitate to accept such an offer. This sentiment ties closely to his involvement in the film The Challenge, a project whose production included scenes shot aboard the International Space Station. The film’s director, Klim Shipenko, along with actress Yulia Peresild, made their own historic trip to space as part of the production, and Bikovich spoke of his honor in being part of a project that aimed to push creative and technical boundaries into orbit. In these reflections, Bikovich underscored how the experience of space cinema felt like a rare privilege and a meaningful addition to his acting career as a whole. [Citation: interview with aif.ru]
Bikovich noted that his collaboration with Shipenko is not a one-off coincidence. He recalled that Shipenko previously cast him in a prior project, and he observed that every collaboration with the director carries a richness that extends beyond a single film. The actor summed up the working relationship by saying that each new project with Shipenko tends to unfold as a cinematic milestone, a mini-story of its own that resonates with audiences and crew alike. He described how such partnerships often yield more than expected, and how working with Shipenko has repeatedly offered fresh perspectives and challenges. The resilience and ambition behind these collaborations have, in Bikovich’s view, helped to shape a broader narrative about contemporary cinema that seeks to explore new frontiers.
When discussing the films themselves, Bikovich reflected on the trajectory of Shipenko’s career, noting dramatic highlights that have defined their collaborations. He mentioned Serf as a landmark achievement that achieved remarkable box office success, and he recalled Defiance as a project that marked a pioneering moment by being filmed in space. Those outcomes, he suggested, are not just numbers or accolades; they represent a shift in how audiences connect with stories told from unique and challenging environments. For Bikovich, these experiences reinforce the idea that bold choices can yield lasting impact, both artistically and culturally.
Looking back at his childhood, Bikovich explained that dreams of space did not captivate him as a child in Serbia, where he spent his early years. He pointed out that in his homeland, the concept of astronauts did not hold the same cultural prominence as in some other countries, which helped shape his early interests and career path. This practical perspective about personal aspirations illustrates a broader theme in his career: curiosity and ambition can take many forms, even if a traditional space-suited fantasy was never central to a child’s daydreams. The current dialogue about space and cinema, he added, continues to inspire new generations to imagine what lies beyond the atmosphere and what storytelling can achieve when science and cinema collide.
As The Challenge gained attention and viewers watched the film unfold, Shipenko spoke about his creative plans following the film’s broadcast. He suggested that the project would seed further explorations into space-themed storytelling and collaborative productions, with new ideas likely to emerge from the lessons learned during filming on the ISS. In this sense, Bikovich’s comments sit within a broader conversation about cinema’s evolving relationship with science and exploration, where real-world space experiences can influence character development, set design, and narrative pacing in future productions.