Olympic ice dancer Roman Kostomarov reflects on life, love, and resilience in a new documentary
The latest documentary centers on Olympic ice dancing champion Roman Kostomarov, who serves as the film’s central figure. After filming wrapped, he described the experience as remarkable, promising that the project would be striking and inviting viewers to come prepared with tissue.
The narrative then follows Kostomarov as he steps back into public life, expressing gratitude to everyone who stood by him—his wife Oksana Domnina, fellow skaters, and friends. The film highlights the support system that carried him through a challenging period.
The opening sequence shows Kostomarov watching the opera Carmen at the Bolshoi Theatre, a scene framed by the music that previously accompanied his Olympic triumph with Tatyana Navka. In the footage, he likens himself to a protagonist from the opera, a comparison that sets the tone for his metaphorical journey.
“My life feels like the path of a bullfighter. As long as I can remember, I have had to battle fate with fierce determination, much like a bullfighter challenging a raging bull in the arena.”
“My life is defined by struggle,” Kostomarov remarks in the film.
The documentary then turns to Kostomarov’s hospitalization. What began as a pneumonia diagnosis soon revealed a far deeper battle. He recounts the moment he fell ill and the rapid turn of events that followed.
“On January 9, I visited a bathhouse, took a steam bath, and plunged into the ice pit several times. It felt like my body was struck hard. I headed home and suddenly developed an overwhelming cough and a sharp pain in my side. They hooked me up to IV therapy, seated me, and rushed me to the hospital. It was night. Phones were taken away, belongings were cleared out. I stood up, managed to go to the bathroom twice, and that was all I remember”, he explains.
The condition deteriorated, leading to mechanical ventilation and a medically induced coma. Kostomarov was connected to an ECMO machine to oxygenate his blood. Yet prolonged exposure to ECMO caused tissue death in his limbs, creating a new and grim chapter in his life.
“The moment they told me I might lose my legs and ankles, I cried. It was the hardest part. The family endured it all, yet everyone understood there was no alternative,” he shares in the film.
The documentary documents his illness, his road to recovery, and his return to skating. After leaving the hospital, Kostomarov began relearning the sport and appeared on the ice in August 2023 within Ilya Averbukh’s program Love Letters. He later performed the Carmen program again with Navka, restoring the spark of competition in his life.
The film closes with Kostomarov performing The City That Never Was, a signature piece he sings during the film’s presentation as well.
The central message of the documentary centers on life and love. Regardless of the obstacles faced, the message is clear: perseverance matters, and family support is essential. Kostomarov emphasizes that the story is about love, resilience, and the enduring importance of family in navigating hardship.
He expresses deep gratitude to all who supported him through recovery and to those who watched the film first and shared their impressions.
“I have never felt emotions like these, not even at the Olympics. The support from fans and loved ones is incredibly powerful. It gives strength to me, to my wife, and to everyone who stood by us. Tatyana Navka, thank you so much. I love you. I also want to thank the doctors who stood by me and helped me survive”, Kostomarov states.
Impressions from the cinema event were shared by Elena Vaitsekhovskaya, a renowned Olympic diving champion and sports journalist. She described the film as a deeply moving portrayal that resonates with viewers.
Vaitsekhovskaya notes that the filmmakers present the dramatic arc of the story with simple, restrained storytelling. The tension is not artificially heightened; instead, the reality carries its own weight. In moments, audiences laugh with the characters, only to be reminded of the gravity of the situation. The film connects with viewers on a personal level, placing them in the intimate space of the screen, forcing reflection on how such events unfold and how one might endure and recover from them.